The Bakers Dughter
by Wolfgilr4ever
Summary: This story is basically the hunger games but with Peeta in Katniss's situation and Katniss in Peeta's situation. this one is in Katniss's point of view. NOW COMPLETE!
1. Part 1 The Tributes

_I ran. That was the only thing I could do. A boy chases me through the woods. But he wasn't the reason why I was running. It was the dagger he held so tightly in his fist, poised to strike its target. And that was me. His eyes were red, blood thirsty, as his pace quickened. I couldn't go any faster. But I couldn't stop. All of a sudden a trees root popped up catching my foot causing me to fall. Before I could get up and run, I felt a coolness of the blade on the back of my neck. Slowly I rolled over to see him standing over me, the neck still at my throat. I knew he was going to kill me, but I couldn't find it in me to hate him. Because it was the one and only person I would ever love. Peeta. Blinding sunlight is that last thing I see before he raises the dagger to end my life._

I sat bolt right up in my bed. My hand covered my mouth, to keep me form screaming for my father, like I did when I was little. I sat there for a while trying to keep myself from either breaking down or screaming. That dream was surreal. Giving on last shutter, I get up and quietly walk to my window to see how early it was. As I looked at the sun, I determine that it was around six in the morning. Against my instincts to crawl back into bed, I walked over to my closet and got dressed. Today was the day of the Reaping for the Hunger games. The Hunger Games is a game that our Capitol made up to show how they can easily do what they want with us by taking kids and having them kill each other. I made my way down to the bakery where I fined my dad.

"There you are Katniss." My father said. "Could you ice the cupcakes for the Reaping today."

"Yeah. Sure dad." I said, grabbing my smock and icing material.

As I start to ice the first cupcake, there's a knock at our backdoor. Father and I knew who it was. Gazle. Peeta's friend. Even at that thought a spark of jealousy shot through me. Everyone knew she and Peeta were best friends. Some thought they were more. My hands balled into fists and my jaw clenched.

"I'll get it." My father said, taking note that I night rip off Gazle's head off if I answered the door.

As he got the door, I continued icing the cupcakes; I started to lose myself in my work. As I started to finish my last cupcake, the sound of my mothers' voice made me jump.

"Katniss you good for nothing whore!" She yelled down the stairs. That's when I realized that I was supposed to wake her and my brothers up around ten minutes ago. Once she was into the bakery, my body was shacking all over. As she came up to me, she raised her hand ready to hit me. That's when my Father walked back in and stepped in between me and my mother.

"Great job with the cupcakes, Katniss." My father said, hugging me, turning me around so my back was to my mother. "I swear you have a gift." He said as he broke our embrace.

Before my mother could say anything a gong sounded. That was our five minute warning, telling us to get to the town square.

"Get ready honey." My father said.

I didn't say anything and ran up the stairs to get ready. I chose a sky blue hand-me-down dress that comes down to my with a leather strap around it. The dress was from my mother. I also wore flat shoes that come up to my ankle. When I come back downstairs, my father, mother, and two older brothers are standing at the door waiting. With me at the back we make our way to the square slowly. My youngest brother and I sign in before we're herded into our sectors. Those who can't be put in the hunger games stand around the ones who can. Some people bid on who will be picked. I try to find Peeta in the crowd but had no such luck. Soon Effie, the women from the Capitol that picks the names from the bowls who will be in the hunger games. As she talks, my mind wonders to a memory I always think about.

I was about to turn twelve when this happened. It was raining hard that night. I was baking bread when all of a sudden I hear my mother screaming. When ever my mother screamed it meant someone would be hit. As I look out the window to see what got her riled up, I see Peeta Evergreen, looking scared. I also notice that he was thin. Very thin. I knew instantly he was dyeing of starvation and no doubt along with his family. As he scurried away from the trash can. I watched as he sat under a tree behind our pig trough. He pulled his knees to his chest and berried his face into his knees before his body started to shake with sobs. I knew what I had to do. Without even thinking or caring what the consequences were I put the bread to close to the fire, burning it. When my mother saw the burned bread, she started to scream then hit me hard on one of my eyes.

"Now no one will want that bread. Make yourself useful and give it the pigs!" she shouted before going back to her work.

I walked outside into the rain the hot bread singeing my arms. I chose the fully burned one to through into the pigs' trough. I ripped pieces off and through them in. I avoided Peeta's gaze until the two badly burned bread was gone. That left two semi burned bread left. I looked up and my eyes were met by a pair of beautiful blue eyes. Our eyes were only locked for a minute but to me it felt like a life time.

"Katniss hurry up and get your ass back in here. And this time don't burn the wretched bread!" My mother scratched from inside the house.

I looked through the window into the kitchen to make sure my mother wasn't there watching me. When I was sure she was no where in site, I turned back to Peeta who was now looking between me and the bread like he had figured it out. Peeta's smart but there was no way he would be able to know why I did it. He most likely will think I did it because I felt pity for him, but the truth was I was deeply in love with him.

I tossed the two breads to him. Peeta looked at them hesitantly, still looking at me then the two bread loafs then back to me. I nodded my head once. Without even hesitating, Peeta grabbed the two loafs, stuffed them into his shirt, then took off running towards the part in district twelve called the Seams, where I knew he lived. When I got back inside, my mother was waiting for me looking even angrier. By the look of it, she saw what I did for Peeta.

"What the hell was that?" She yelled.

"I-I gave the boy some bread." I stammered, my whole body shacking. My dad wasn't home at this time, so there was no way of postponing the beating I knew was sure to come.

"Why did you give him that bread? That bread was for the pigs!" My mother yelled, moving her arm a little. That's when I saw it as the light from the fire danced across it. Across the metal part of the belt.

My whole body started to shake even more. "He-he was starving. He would've died if I didn't." I said backing away from her. "Besides, you said the bread wasn't good. No one would've wanted it. So I thought that, since no one would want it and he needed it to feed himself and his family, I would give it to him so he wouldn't die."

That set her off; she came at me with the belt. She held me down and started to beat me with the belt. Soon I was covered in my blood, and then she started to beat me with her fists. Though, it wasn't long before my father came into the room.

"Sweety, have you seen Katniss. She's not in her-" my father started to say, but stopped midsentence. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY DAUGHTER?" My father all of a sudden shouted.

I felt my father push my mother off me. Then I felt his arms pick me up and my head rested against his chest, my body was still shacking. It took a long time for all the yelling to stop. It took a little bit longer for my father to bandage all of my wounds. The next morning, I had to go to school with a black eye, I easily hid the others by wearing a sweater. When my friends asked what happened, I just told them I got into a fight with my brother and that was the end of that, though my father never went anywhere without me and he didn't even talk to my mother for a whole month. He's still mad at her for it.

I've never regret what I did that day. I knew if I didn't burn that bread he would've been died. Even the thought of that made me shutter. To think of Peeta laying down, cold, not move, never to breath again, to never speak again, that would be an empty life for me. I couldn't live like that. I would rather die then live through that life and with the guilt of knowing I could've done something for him. The only thing I wish I could redo was how I gave him the bread. I should've walked up to him and handed him the bread not just tossed it near him. I was pulled out of my thoughts by Effie saying it was time to pick the girl for the hunger games.

As she walked towards the girls bowl I got stiffer and stiffer with every step she took. She stuck her hand into the bowl, grabbed a piece of paper and walked back to the podium. I held my breath as she read the name, hoping it wasn't mine. This was going to be the year I finally pluck up the courage to talk to Peeta.

"Primrose Everdeen." She said. "Primrose come up."

I didn't know her. But as she walked towards the stage I didn't couldn't seen her but I saw her tuck the back of her shirt into her skirt.

"Prim!" I heard someone say. "PRIM!" I heard the voice that brought a sinking feeling into my chest. It was Peeta's. I watched as he tried to reach Prim. "NO! I VOLUNTEER! I VOLUNTEER!" He shouted. "I volunteer as tribute in Prim's place."

"I'm sorry but you can only go in the place of another boy." Effie said. I saw Peeta's face fall and Prim's had gripped his leg. "Only a girl can go in her place. But you can defiantly go for the boys' position." Peeta didn't say anything but nod and started to walk towards the stage with Prim still clinging to him.

I could see the pain in his eyes as he knew the only way for either of them to win was for one of them to kill the other. What I did next, I didn't even know how or why I did it. At first I couldn't move I was frozen in place. Then I t something in me triggered. I couldn't let Peeta's sister go into the hunger games. I couldn't let him worry about his sisters' safety and watch him be slaughtered. I broke free from the crowd and ran towards Prim. But before I could reach her Peacekeepers grabbed my arms and started to pull me away. I wanted to shout I volunteer but I couldn't find my voice. But as they dragged me farther and farther away I got myself to make a sound.

"I volunteer!" I shout. "I volunteer." Everyone looks at me stunned but I didn't care. "I'll go in the place of Prim." I say panting.

"Wonderful!" Effie says most likely happy that we have not one but two people from district twelve that volunteer as a tribute.

I start to make my way to Peeta who still had Prim gripping his leg, but Prim had a grateful and pleading look in her eyes. Peeta had a suspicious glare. I just kept on walking until I was next to Peeta before we could walk any farther, Peeta started to pry Prim's fingers off his leg. Just as he got her fingers off him, Prim clutched his arm instead. Then Gazle grabbed Prim and hosted Prim onto her shoulders before going back into crowed. You would think Prim would've been easier to handle in this situation, but she put up a fight. She kicked and screamed for Peeta as Gazle took her away.

Silently, Peeta and I walked up to the stage. Effie asked for both of our names.

"Peeta Everdeen." Peeta said, without any emotions.

"I'm betting then that that was your sister." Effie said.

"Yes." Was all Peeta said.

"And what's your name?" Effie asked me.

"Katniss Mellark." I said.

Effie was about to say something when the town drunk and the only person from our district has won, came up on stage. He was beyond drunk and started swearing at the cameras, but I think it was aiming at the Capitol, but I couldn't tell what he was saying. Then he threw up and fell off the stage. Before anyone could do anything the anthem started. At the end Peeta and I had to shake hands. Slowly I stretched out my hands for his. As his warm hands slipped into mine, warmth spread from his hand into my body. All too quickly though our hands broke apart and Peacekeepers ushered us into the Justice Building.

Peeta and I were escorted in different directions. I was led into a small poorly lit room with only a few pieces of furniture. There was a leather coach, a floor lamp, a small wooden table, and two walls filed with books. The floor had wall-to-wall carpeting, which was rare in district Twelve. The only hoses in district twelve was in victor's village. Victor's village is a cul-de-sac where many house were built for the ones who win the Hunger Games, other know as victors. There's only one house that's occupied, and it's by Haymitch the town drunk.

All of a sudden the doors opened and my two brothers came into the room. Neither of us said anything. We just stood there in awkward silences. Then my youngest older brother finally spoke.

"Watch yourself out there, sis." He said.

I couldn't say anything back because a big lump was forming in my throat. I just nodded, trying to hold back my tears. Then, to my surprise, both of them stepped forward and pulled me into a three person hug. At this, my body turned against me as tears steamed down my face and onto my brothers' shirt.

"I'm sorry about your shirts." I whispered to them.

Before I could say anything more, the Peacekeepers came in and escorted them out of the room. I wasn't alone for long. My mother walked through the doors, looking almost happy. Probably happy that she'll finally be rid of me.

"Maybe this year our distinct will finally have another victor." Was all she said before leaving.

At first I thought she meant me, but I quickly realized she meant Peeta. I'm sure both of us knew I was going to die. I knew she was right. There was no way I could win, but Peeta could. There was no doubt he could make it to the top five at the most. I, most likely, will die in the first two days. I was brought out of my thoughts when I saw my father came through the doors. The look on his face broke all of my defenses. He had tears streaming down his face. Without thinking I ran up and hugged him tightly. Out of all my family members, my father was the only one that was the closet to me and the only one that I truly loved. My brothers are okay and I know my mom hates me and I hate her. My father was the only one who loves me.

"Dad what am I going to do?" I mumbled into his shoulder.

"I don't know." Was all he said.

Then something occurred to me. "Don't let his family starve." I said.

"But Gazle-" he said.

"I don't care what Gazle does." I said. "Just make sure they eat more then enough and get enough."

I couldn't let Peeta's family starve while he's in the games. Even though Gazle would bring in game, I still wanted to make sure they were okay.

"I will." He said before we fell into silence.

We stayed wrapped in each others arms. Before I knew it, Peacekeepers came in and said his time was up.

"I love you dad." I said more tears streamed down my face, as I realized this will be the last time I would see him.

"I love you too, sunshine." He whispered back to me. Sunshine was an old name he used to call me when I was younger.

Then the Peacekeepers dragged him out of the room. I knew my dad would be my last visitor, so I quickly whipped my tears, hoping I wouldn't look week when we walked to the train. I was surprised to see Prim walk into the room. Her face was stained with tear tracks. I was confused as to why she came to visit me. She ran up to me, and wrapped her arms around me. Unconsciously, I wrapped my arms around her.

"Thank you for taking my place. I would've died in those games if you didn't." Prim said.

"Well I didn't think you could make it far and I wouldn't want Peeta to see you die." I said.

"Please, try to bring him home." Prim said, looking up at me with tears in her eyes.

"I will." I said. "My father the baker, he'll bring you food each day. Just in case you ever get hungry."

"Thank you." She said.

Then the Peacekeepers came in saying her time was up. "Bye Prim." I said.

"Bye. Thank you." Was all she said before fallowing the Peacekeepers out of the room.

The doors opened again. This time it was Peacekeepers saying it was time to go on the train. My teats died, so I didn't look totally week. As I walked out of the Justice Building, Peeta was already there waiting for me. Peeta had no emotions and even looked boarded. Once I came up to Peeta's side, we had to wait for a while as people took our pictures. After a while we were ushered into the train and out of the sight of the cameras. On the train, the speed is exhilarating but you couldn't really feel it. Effie showed me to my room before leaving to go look for Haymitch.

In my compartment, I look through the drawers until I find a plain green shirt and blue pants. I strip off my dress and quickly change into the other clothes before curling up in the bed. It was softer and more comfy then the one back in district twelve. The blankets were soft like an animals pelt. My eyes became heavier and heavier the more I laid in the bed. Just as I was about to fall asleep, I heard Effie knocking on my door saying it was time for dinner. I reluctantly get up and fallow her down the corridor and into the dinning room. Peeta was already in there, the chair next to him empty.

"Where's Haymitch?" Effie asked brightly as both of us took our seats.

"Last time I saw him, he said he was going to take a nap." Peeta said sounding board.

"Well today was very tiring." Effie asked sounding been happier if that was possible.

I think Effie was gland of Haymitch's absents. Who could blame her? He was drunk and wasn't that kind sober or not. Soon the meal came out. It was magnificent. There was a thick carrot soup, green salad, lamb chops, mashed potatoes, cheese, fruit, and a chocolate cake. The one thing that spoiled the meal was Effie's comments on our table manors. Saying we had better manors then the kids last year. The kids last year were two from the Seams, so they didn't know any better. Peeta, who was also from the Seams, still had great table manors. I guess he learned at an early age how to eat with a fork and knife. Though at the end of the dinner, he made a point of using his hands and using the table cloth as a napkin. This didn't seem to rub Effie the right way.

After the meal, I was having a hard time keeping the food down. I could see Peeta's face was also turning slightly green. The food was so rich that we should've taken it slow but the food was just so good. Effie doesn't seem to take notice of our state. She whisks us into the next room; where there are a few coaches stationed around a T.V. we watch the recaps of the Reaping from each district. I try to make mental notes of each tribute but only a few stick out. A monstrous boy who lunges forward to volunteer from district two. Then there's a fox-faced girl with red hair from district five. A boy with a crippled foot from district ten. Lastly the two tributes from district eleven. The boy is huge and seems very strong. The girl looked a lot like Prim. They were the exact same size and look a little bit alike as well. The only difference is the girl from district eleven had olive brown skin and big brown eyes. When her name was called no one stepped forward to take her place.

Then they showed the Reaping in our district. Prim's name being called. With Peeta trying to save his sister from the Games. Learning that only a girl could take Prim's place. Then, me rushing forward to take Prim's place. Us waling up on stage. Effie wanting to know our names. Haymitch falling off the stage comically. Us shaking hands. Then it cuts to the anthem, before the program ended. After watching the recaps I started to wonder what was going through Peeta's head. Effie seemed more concerned with the state her wing was in after Haymitch practically molested her before he started to cuss at the camera and fell off the stage.

"Your mentor has a lot to learn about presentation." Effie said, huffily.

This mad me laugh. "He was drunk." I said. "He's drunk every year."

"More like every day." Peeta added. This made both of us laugh.

"Yes." Effie hissed angrily. "How odd you two find it amusing. You know your mentor is your lifeline to the world in these Games. The one who advises you, lines up your sponsors, and dictates the presentation of any gift. Haymitch can well be the difference between you life and your death!" Effie said matter-of-factly.

Just then Haymitch came into the room looking even more drunk. "I miss super?" he asked in a slurred voice. Then, of all things, he vomited all over the carpet before falling into the vile mess.

"So laugh it up!" Effie snapped before fleeing the room.

Peeta and I just sit there taking in the scene of our mentor trying to raise himself up from the slippery puddle of vomit that came from his stomach. The smell almost brings my dinner back up but I somehow kept it down. Peeta and I take one of Haymitch's arms each and helped him to his feet, trying not to step into the vile puddle.

"I tripped?" Haymitch asked. He tries wiping his nose only making the vomit smear all over his face.

"Let's get you back into your room and clean you up." I said, starting to guide Haymitch to his room.

We walk Haymitch to his room, well more like carry him to his room. Once there we haul him into the bathtub and turn on the shower, though he didn't seem to notice. Peeta looked a little green, realizing that we had to undress him to actually wash him.

"I can take it from here." I say.

I didn't have a problem with nudity. I've seen plenty of naked men and women from the years of watching the games. Peeta looked at me like I was crazy or just as drunk as Haymitch.

"Are you sure?" Peeta asked, nervously.

"Yeah. I'll be fine." I reassured him.

"Alright." Peeta said still uneasy. "I could send one of the Capitol people to help you."

"No. I don't want them." I said.

Peeta left, still seeming uneasy. Once the door was closed, I turned back to Haymitch who was staring up at me. I go down onto my knees so I was leveled with Haymitch's body. As quickly as I could, I stripped off his clothes which wasn't pleasant but was bearable because he cooperated through most of it. I keep his underwear on though, not wanting to see what was underneath. Once he was stripped down, I grabbed a sponge and soap and started to scrub him down the best I could. There was only so much I could handle. After rinsing him down one last time, I haul him out of the bathtub and drag him across the room and lifted him into his bed. I was now grateful that I carried those sacks of flower everyday. They were a good replacement for weights, though it didn't show.

I didn't tuck him in for fear he would vomit on himself again, so I put his head over the edge of his bed but cover the rest of his body with blankets. I was beyond exhausted after I left his room, dragging my feet across the train to my own. I can't help but pause at Peeta's bedroom door, my hand reaching up to knock but stopped short. I sighed and placed my hand against the door instead, whispering a goodnight to the wood before going to my room. I collapsed onto the bed after I changed into fresh nightgown. I didn't even bothering to get under the covers. Placing my hands under my head, snuggling into the pillows. My last thought was of our families. Peeta's probably missed him dearly, while mine was probably happy there wasn't another mouth to feed.

The next morning I was aroused by a knocking on my door and someone's all too perky voice saying we had a big, big day. I groaned but somehow managed to drag myself out of my bed. I dressed in a simple black shirt and dark blue pants. As I got into the dinning room for breakfast. During breakfast Peeta and I talk to Haymitch.

"You're suppose to give us advice." I said anxusly.

"Here's some advice. Stay alive." Haymitch said before bursting out laughing. Peeta and I exchange a look.

"Very funny." Peeta said. Then he all of a sudden hits the glass of liquor out of Haymitch's hands. It shattered as it hit the ground, the red liquid going everywhere. "Only not to us."

Haymitch seemed to thinking about this for a second before punching Peeta square in the jaw, knocking him to the ground. Haymitch seems satisfied and started to reach for the bottle of liquor. Without thinking I drive a knife into the table barely missing his fingers.

"Well what's this?" Haymitch said. "Did I actually get a pair of fighters this year?" At this moment Peeta gets up from the floor. I could see the fleshy bruise on his jaw from Haymitch's punch.

"Don't put any ice on that. The other tributes will think you got into a fight. What's better is that you didn't get caught. Even better." Then Haymitch turned to me. "Can you hit anything else with that knife?"

No. I couldn't through a knife for my life. But this was the only chance I would get to have a chance at helping Peeta win the games. I dig the knife out of the table. Then I through it at one of the wall arts that looked like a bow and arrow shooting range. Surprising Haymitch and myself, I hit right in the middle of the circle. Haymitch looked deep in thought before he spoke.

"Okay, I'll make a deal with you. You don't interfere with my drinking, and I'll stay sober enough to help you." Haymitch said. "But you have to do exactly what I say."

"Fine." Peeta said reluctantly.

"So help us." I said. "When we get tot the arena, what's the best strategy at the cornucopia for someone-."

"One thing at a time." Haymitch said sound tired of me already. "In a few minutes, we'll be in the Capitol. There you'll be instantly prepared for the Tribute Chariot Ride. So let's just calm down and relax a little."

Haymitch was right. Within a few minutes we were in the capitol. It was like nothing I've ever seen as I looked out the window. There were people there waving and cheering as we entered the Capitol. I smiled and waved back. I could feel Peeta's eyes on me. I turn around to see him staring at me like I was insane.

"Some of them could be rich." Was all I said wit a shrug before we're whisked off the train and into a weird looking building.

I soon learn this place is called the remake center where they, get rid of all the blemishes from our bodies before we meet our stylist. At first it wasn't that bad. The people who help me I learn that they will be my prep team. All they do is talk and gossip as they comb through my hair and wash my body. At first I was uncomfortable at showing them my body but soon I got use to them. Once my body and hair was washed they did started to pluck my eyebrows, which wasn't that bad but still hurt. Then they moved onto my legs.

They placed weird sheets of paper that was covered in some kind of sticky substances. They left it on there for a while. Then they ripped it off, the sound echoing of the room. This caught me by surprise, causing me to yelp loudly.

"Sorry." A woman named Venia, said.

They replied this action, with the both legs, arms, torso, and where ever else there was hair on my body besides my hair. When they were done, my body was burning and very soar. Then my prep team left me a lone in a room. I laid there for a while. Then I heard the door open, and in came an African-American male who looked like he was in his early twenties. But what struck me was how normal he looked. Most people in the Capitol had crazy make up and hair. He only had a small shade of golden eye shadow on and that's it.

"Why'd you do it?" He asked abruptly.

"What?" I asked confused at his question.

"Why did you do it?" He asked again. I was still confused. "Why did you take the place of his sister in the Reaping? Why didn't you just let them both go?"

I could feel heat rush to my face. "I…um…" I stammered nervous about telling him.

"It's okay. You can tell me." He said. "My names Cinna."

"Katniss." I said a small smile tugging at my lips. "I…uh…took Prim's place in the Reaping because…I didn't want to see her get killed."

"There's more, isn't there?" Cinna said.

"Yes." I said defeated. "I've…uh…had a crush on Peeta since we were kids."

"So you couldn't watch him see his sister be slaughtered in front of his eyes." Cinna said, taking a step towards me.

"That and he has a great chance of winning. I didn't want him to go home without his sister, so I thought I could sacrifice myself." I confess. It felt good to get that off my chest.

"Well that's very noble and brave of you." Cinna said with a smile.

"So what are you going to have us do?" I said. "You're just going to do something to make us look good."

"I'm here to make an impression. Two people who would do anything like that during the Reaping, doesn't deserve to be dressed up in silly costumes." Cinna said, a mischievous smile playing across his lips.

"I hope not." I said the same smile dancing across mine.

Soon I find out what was his big plan. A cape of fire. That is Cinna big master plan. They want to kill Peeta and I before we even get in to the arena. Cinna puts me into a full body black jumpsuit with large ankle high boots. They're a bit bulky but not as hard to walk in them then I thought it would be. Cinna gets this gloppy stuff and works it into my hair.

Then we meet up with Peeta and his stylist, Portia, before going down stairs and waiting in our Chariot. Peeta sat next to me while Cinna and Portia sat across from me. On the way Cinna and Portia explain that the flames aren't real. They're special flames that wouldn't hurt us at all. I still didn't feel all that safe.

"What are we going to do?" I whispered to Peeta.

"I'll rip yours off if you rip mine off." He whispered back.

"Deal." I said.

If we get them off quickly they won't burn us to bad. When we finally get to our Chariot, we get in and wait. From here I could here the opening music begins. It's easy to hear, blasted around the Capitol. Massive doors slide open revealing the crowd-lines streets. The ride lasted about twenty minutes and ends up at the City Circle, where they will welcome us, play the anthem, and will escort us into the Training Center, which will be our home. Well more like prison until the Game began.

First, tributes from District one ride out in a chariot pulled out in a snow-white horses drowned chariot. They looked so beautiful, spray-painted in silver and wearing tasteful tunics glittering with jewels. District 1 makes luxury items for the Capitol. You can hear the roar of the crowd. They are always favorites. District 2 got into position to follow them. Way too soon, we are approaching the door and I can see that between the overcast sky and evening hour the light is turning gray. The tributes from District 11 are just rolling out when Cinna appears with a lighted torch.

"Here we go then." Cinna said.

Before either of us could say anything, he lights our capes with the flames. I gasp waiting for the heat, the burning. But there's nothing happened. There's no burning only a faint tickling sensation. Cinna climbs up and ignites our headdresses.

"It works." He said smiling proudly. "Now remember, heads high, smile. They're going to love you." Cinna jumps off the chariot then seems to get another idea. "Hold hands." He shouts.

"What did he say?" Peeta asked, turning towards me.

"I think he said for us to hold hands." I said.

I reach for his hand only half way, afraid he'll reject me. He surprised me by grabbing my right hand in his left. Cinna gave us a thumbs-up. At first, the crowd is scared but quickly realizes that the flames where apart of our show. I was stunned that I couldn't do anything but look ahead then I saw my picture on one of the TV's and forced myself to put on my most dazzling smile. That got the crowd going.

The doors have only just shut behind us when we're engulfed by the prep teams, who are nearly unintelligible as they babble out praise. As I glance around, I notice a whole lot of the other tributes are shooting us dirty looks. Then our flames all of a sudden go out.

It takes me a while to realize my hand was gripping Peeta's in a vice grip. I force my fingers to let go of his hand, letting both of us massage our hands.

"Thanks for keeping a hold of me. I was a little shaky there." I said.

"It didn't show." Peeta said. "I'm sure no one noticed."

"I'm sure they didn't notice but you." I said. It was true. From what I could see it was the crowd was focused on him. "You should wear flames more often. They suit you." I said smiling.

Peeta surprised me by leaning down and kissing me on my cheek. I felt heat rush to my face and my heart going into over time. Before I could do anything, Effie is there escorting us into the elevator. The Training Center has a tower designed exclusively for the tributes and their teams. This will be our home until the actual Games begin. Each district had there own floors.

Once on our floor, we're told to go get changed in our quarter was larger. It had a beautiful bed, carpet and other furniture. I strip of my outfit and go into the shower washing away all the makeup and undoing my hair. Once out of the shower, all I had to do was push a button and my whole body and hair is blow-dried. I quickly grab a shirt and black pants, before I go down stairs. As I come down stairs, I saw Cinna.

"Oh Cinna, how are you doing?" I ask walking up to him.

"Quite well. You did great at the opening ceremonies today." Cinna said, smiling at me.

"With a lot of help from you," I said, meriting a laugh in return.

"Have you seen the roof? You get the best view of the City up there." Cinna said.

"No I haven't, care to show me?" I said.

_'At least there something to do.'_ I thought.

I fallowed Cinna down the hall and through one of the doors, which opened up to a stairwell. We walked onto the roof, where the wind howled all around us and it's was nearly defining. Cinna was right when he said it was the best view of the City. I don't think there's any area that isn't lit up. I wandered over to the small railing and looked out over the large City.

Our District was probably half the size of the Capitol, maybe smaller. We often didn't have any electricity and rely on candles to light the rooms. Many nights my father and I would sit by the open oven to keep warm, so that we could see one another. I'd probably never have a night like that again; probably never see my father's kind, loving face again.

"Why do they let us up here? Wouldn't a tribute try to jump?" I ask Cinna.

"You can't jump off it," he said, reaching a hand out. I jump a little at the zap, then his hand is jerked back; some kind of force field. "Let's go down stairs. It's dinner time."

"Oh! I know you!" I looked up to see Peeta.

He was pointing to the red headed girl who was serving us, how could he possibly know someone from the Capitol? The girl looked terrified and shook her head with franticly before she ran away from the room. Peeta turned his attention back to the table confused.

"Don't be ridiculous, Peeta. How could you possibly know an Avox?" Effie snaps and looked a little angry. "The very thought."

"What's an Avox?" Peeta asks everyone around the table.

"Someone who committed a crime. They've cut her tongue so she can't speak." Haymitch cuts in. "She's probably a traitor of some sort. Not likely you'd know her."

But my mind is reeling, caught on the fact that these Avox people have had their tongues cut out, their voices taken from them. I shuddered at the thought of it. I was pulled out of my thought as Peeta was trying to come up with an excuse as to why he thought he knew the Avox girl.

"Delly Cartwright. That's who it is." I said. I gave Peeta a look telling him that he awed me. "I kept thinking she looked familiar as well. Then I realized she's a dead ringer for Delly."

"Of course, that's who I was thinking of. It, just have been the hair." Peeta said giving me a grateful look.

"Something about the eyes, too." I said.

The energy at the table seemed to relax. After dinner we were told tomorrow was going to be our first training session. Peeta and I walk down the hall until we were out of ear shot.

"Have you been onto of the roof?" I ask. Peeta shook his head. "Fallow me."

I led Peeta up to the roof. At first, Peeta seemed a little nervous about being onto of the roof but after showing him that there was a force field he seemed to settle down. We walked over to the garden onto of the roof. We didn't talk for a while.

"How do you know her?" I finally ask.

"We were hunting in the woods one day. Hidden, waiting for game." Peeta whispered, pretending to examine a rose.

"You and your father?" I asked.

"No, my friend Gazle." He said.

'_Of course, always with Gazle_,' I thought to myself, bitterly.

"Suddenly all the birds stopped singing at once. Except one. As if it was giving a warning call. And then we saw her. I'm sure it was the same girl. A boy was with her. Their clothes were tattered. They had dark circles under their eyes from no sleep. They were running as if their lives depended on it." He said before falling silent for a while.

I pondered on what he just told me. I thought back to the time when I noticed the birds stopped singing one time. It was back in first grade, when one of the teacher asked if anyone knew a valley song. Without thinking, my hand shot up. She asked me to come to the front of the class and asked me to sing. Then I try to imagine Peeta and Gazle in the woods, hiding from this fleeing pair. But I couldn't. That is a side of Peeta that I don't know. I had no idea of the Hunter in Peeta, except for what I see in the game he brings in every day to my father.

"The hovercraft appeared out of nowhere," he suddenly continued. "I mean, one moment the sky was empty and the next it was there. It didn't make a sound, but they saw it. A net dropped down on the girl and carried her up, fast, so fast, like the elevator. They shot some sort of spear through the boy. It was attached to a cable and they hauled him up as well. But I'm certain he was dead. We heard the girl scream once. The boy's name, I think. Then it was gone, the hovercraft. Vanished into thin air. And the birds began to sing again, as if nothing had happened."

"Did they see you?" I asked him.

"I don't know. We were under a shelf of rock." Peeta said, his eyes staring ahead of him.

He was completely lost in the memory of the Avox girl and their brief encounter. I couldn't be sure, but I thought I saw guilt in his eyes. I suddenly want to wrap my arms around his and comfort him. I want to hold him and keep those bad memories at bay. But I also know that he wouldn't let me. He would reject me, step out of my reach, and look at me with uncomprehending blue eyes. He has no idea what kind of effect she has on me.

"You're shivering," Peeta suddenly said. I hadn't realized I was shivering until he pointed me out. He pulled off his jacket off and wrapped it around my shoulders. I smile at him, accepting his jacket full hardily.

"Were they from here?" I asked, returning his attention back to the story. My fingers fumble a little at the top button of the jacket, my finger felt numb. Seeing I was having a hard time fastening the jacket around me, Peeta stepped forward and fastened it for me. He took a step back then nodded.

"Where do you suppose they were going?" I wondered out loud.

A boy and a girl fleeing from the Capitol and ending up on the outskirts of district twelve. Something bad had to have happened to make them run from the Capitol. But where could they have expected to have gone past district twelve? District thirteen had been destroyed, as the Capitol liked to remind us on a regular basis, and there wasn't really much to see beyond Panem.

"I'd leave here." I suddenly say, forgetting to whisper.

I glanced around nervously, thinking that a spy camera and microphone might have picked up on what I said.

"I'd go home now if they let me. But you have to admit, the food's prime." I said trying to sound causal. "It's getting chilly. We better go in, your friend Gazle. She's the one who took your sister away at the reaping?" I ask him as we make our way back to our rooms. I already knew who she was.

"Yes. Do you know her?" He asked me.

"Not really. I hear the boys talk about her a lot. I thought she was your cousin or something." I said not looking at him. "You favor each other."

"No, we're not related." He said me.

I nod my head and avoid his gaze. "Did she come to say goodbye to you?" I'm not entirely sure why I'm asking him, and I can see he was looking at me curiously.

"Yes. So did you father. He brought me cookies." Peeta said suspiciously.

This surprises me a little. He hadn't mentioned that he was going to see Peeta. Although he had always been fond of the Everdeen's, of course he would try to look after the children of the woman he once loved so dearly.

"Really? Well, he likes you and your sister." I said.

Peeta looked a little uncomfortable at this. Perhaps the idea that my father and I might have talked about him and his sister at some point, and then I felt like I had to give an explanation.

"He knew your mother when they were kids." I said quickly.

"Oh, yes. She grew up in town." Peeta said.

His mother hadn't really talked much about her life before the Seam, obviously not about my father. I realized that we're at the door to my room. I quickly pulled off his jacket and gave it back to him.

"Thanks for the jacket." I said.

"See you in the morning then." Peeta said once we were

"See you." I said, before closing my door. I crawled into my bed, not caring to change into a night gown and quickly fell asleep.

The next morning, I decided to shower first before putting on black shirt that had red and silver stripes on its sleeves and blue pants that was laid out for me. Today was our first day of training. I was surprised nobody has come to call me for breakfast. As I walk out of my room, Haymitch is walking down the hallway as I leave my room.

"Ah Katniss, just in time. Good morning." Haymitch said.

"Good morning, Haymitch." I said falling instep beside him.

We make our way to the dinning room and sit down to eat. Soon Peeta joined us. "So, let's get down to business. Training. First off, if you like, I'll coach you separately. Decide now." Haymitch said.

"Why would you coach us separately?" Peeta asked immediately, which perks me up a little.

"Say if you had a secret skill you might not want the other to know about," Haymitch said.

"I don't have any secret skills," I said with a shrugg. "And I already know what yours is, right? I mean, I've eaten enough of your squirrels."

"You can coach us together." Peeta said, and I just nodded in agreement.

"All right, so give me some idea of what you can do." Haymitch said, looking between Peeta and I.

"I can't do anything." I said looking down at my food. "Unless you count baking bread."

"Sorry, I don't. But I know you're pretty handy with a knife. That can come in handy." Haymitch said before turning to Peeta. "Peeta what about you? I know you can take a punch but can you take a knife to the head?"

I could tell he was joking but I didn't find it all that funny. I couldn't image Peeta being stabbed without getting nasus or angry. If that did happen I would avenge his death, then ask one of the Careers to kill me. A world with out Peeta would be a living hell.

"Not really. I can hunt." Peeta said bring me out of my thoughts. "With a bow and arrow."

"Are you any good?" Haymitch ask.

I smirked a little at that question. Peeta was far better then good. I know this because my father always buys her squirrels, but only when my mother wasn't around or else my mother would report him to the Peacekeepers. Though, I had my suspicions that Peeta celled to the Peacekeepers, as well.

"I'm all right." Peeta said.

"He's excellent." I said to Haymitch. I wasn't going to let Peeta down grade himself. "My father buys his squirrels. He always comments on how the arrow never pierces the body. Peeta hits everyone I the right eye, all the time. Same with the rabbits he cells at the butcher. He can ever bring down a whole deer."

"What are you dong?" Peeta asked me, suspicion clear in his voice.

"What are _you_ doing? If he's going to help you, he has to know what you're capable of." I said looking straight into his blue eyes. "Don't underrate yourself."

Peeta just glared at me. "What about you? I've seen you in the bakery. You can lift hundred-pound bags of flour. No girl twelve years old could do that." Peeta snapped. "Tell him that. That's not nothing."

"Yes, and I'm sure in the arena will be full of bags of flour for me to chuck at people." I shot back. "It's not like being able to use a weapon. You know it isn't."

"Katniss is strong." Peeta said turning back to Haymitch who was watching our little exchange. "She can lift hundred-pound bags of flour and wrestle. She came in the second in our school competition last year after her oldest brother."

What use is that? How many times have you seen someone wrestle someone to death?" I said sarcastically.

"There's hand-to-hand combat. All you need is to come up with a knife and you'll at least stand a chance." Peeta said, his voice rising. "If I get jumped I'm dead!"

"But you won't! You'll be living in up in some tree eating raw squirrels and picking off people with arrows." I said my voice also rising. "You know what my mom said to me. She said 'maybe district twelve will finally have a winner.' Then I realized she didn't mean me. She meant you."

"On, she meant you." Peeta argued.

"She said, 'he's a survivor that one.' He is." I said, not turning away from Peeta's intense gaze.

That seemed to pull Peeta up short. His eyes looked distant before completely clouding, as if he was going back into a memory of some sort. His facial expression was blank, no trace on any emotions. What was he thinking of? Before I could pounder this any longer, Peeta seemed to snap back into reality.

"Only because I had someone help me." Peeta said quietly.

Me eyes flickered down to the roll of bread in his hands. He was remembering the rainy night when we were kids. When I tossed him the two loafs of bread. Why was he brings that up now? I had no idea how to react so I just shrugged/

"People will help you in the arena. They'll be tripping over each other to sponsor you." I said, not helping the bitterness that seeped in my words.

"No more then you." Peeta said.

I just rolled my eyes before turning back to Haymitch. "He has no idea the effect he can have." I said, refusing to look at Peeta.

The room filled with silence after that. I didn't know why I said it, but it was true. Then I started to worry. Did he take that as a complement or and insult? I meant it as a complement, because it was true. He was the most extraordinary boy I've ever known. If only he knew how I felt. If only… I took a quick glance at Peeta, only to see he was glaring down at the roll in his hands. The muscles in his jaw were clenched, tightly together.

"Well, well, well. Peeta, there's no guarantee that there'll be a bow and arrow in the arena." Haymitch said breaking the silence after about a minute. "But during your private session with the Gamemakers, show them what you can do. Until then, stay clear of archery. Are you any good at trapping?"

"I know a few basic snares." Peeta muttered, as he started to calm down.

"That may be significant in terms of food." Haymitch said satisfied, before he turned to me. "And Katniss, he's right. Never underestimate strength in the arena. Very often physical power tilts the advantage point. In the training center there will be weights but don't reveal how much you can lift in front of the other tributes. The plan's the same for both of you. You go to group training, spend time trying to lean something you don't know. Throw a spear, swing a mace, learn to tie a decent knot. Save showing what you're best at until your private sessions. Are we clear?"

Peeta and I just nod. "One last thing, in public I want you by each other's side every minute." Haymitch said.

Peeta and I started to object, well mostly Peeta. I didn't have a problem with that at all. I would love to spend time with Peeta, seeing as my time on earth is ticking by with every second. Haymitch slammed his fist onto the table shutting both of us up.

"Every minute! It's not open for discussion. You agreeded to do as I said. You'll be together, you'll appear amiable to each other. Now get out. Meet Effie at the elevator at ten for training." Haymitch said.

Peeta and I stand and leave. Peeta stormed off ahead of me and not far behind I hear the loud bang of him slamming his door. I just rolled my eyes and quietly close my door. I crawl on top of my bed and just look at the wall, thinking why Peeta was so upset about this. Did he hate me that much? Could this have been a mistake? No! If I didn't take Prim's place she would definitely be killed, I couldn't let that happen. There mom already lost her husband. It would've been even harder to lose both of one of her kids. Plus, if Peeta was worrying about Prim's safety, he might be killed as well. But to him all I could be was another tribute for him to kill. I looked over at my clock to see it was ten minutes till ten. I got up and quickly brushed my teeth and hair, before running down the hall to the elevator were Effie is waiting. Soon after I arrived, Peeta appears in the same shirt as me with a twelve on the back. All three of us went into the elevator and went down stairs into the training room.

The training room was a large room, with many different stations. There was a knot tying, archery, weights, combat, swords, knifes, survival, camouflage, and a lot more. When we enter the room, the rest of the tributes were in a circle around a woman who looked very athletic. Once we joined them, the women told us that for the next three days we would be in here training and enhancing our skills before our private sessions with the Gamemakers. Then she went on, telling us about the many different stations. She also told us that we couldn't fight with the other tributes before the games started, before she dismissed us.

"Where do you want to start?" Peeta asked.

I was surprised he was fallowing Haymitch's orders, since he was pretty upset about it not to long ago. I looked around at the Career tributes showing off there skills, trying to intimidate the rest of us. Then I saw no one was at the knot tying station.

"Suppose we could go tie some knots." I said with a shrug.

Peeta just nodded and started to walk over, with me trailing behind silently. I didn't want to irritate him more. Once at the knot tying station, the trainer there seemed very delighted that we had chosen him. We spent about an hour or so learning to make a decent trap and snare. Peeta excelled in this skill while I struggled with it, so Peeta insisted we stayed there until I had mastered the simplest trap and snare. After that we went to the camouflage station. It turned out I wasn't half bad at this, and the trainer there was thrilled with my work. I could make my hole hand blend into the fake tree that they had there. Peeta, on the other hand, had some trouble but seemed to be fascinated on my work.

"I make the cakes." I explained. When I looked up I saw that Peeta was watching as a the tribute from district two send a spear through a dummy.

"What cakes?" Peeta asked, not turning around.

"At home in the bakery. The iced cookies, cupcakes, and cakes." I said starting to wash off my hand.

"Nice, if only you could frost someone to death." Peeta said, his words dripped with sarcasms.

"Don't be supior." I said mockingly. "Besides, you don't know what's in the arena. Say there is a giant cake-"

"We should move on." Peeta interrupted.

I just rolled my eyes and washed off the rest of the paint from my hand, then fallowed Peeta to the next station. That's how next three days went. During training we got a lunch break. All the Career's spent lunch together, obviously. Peeta and I acted as if we were just two friends hanging out instead of two tributes plotting how to kill each other. Somewhere along the way, the girl tribute for district eleven started to shadow us but I was sure she was watching Peeta.

On the second night, as Peeta and I walked to bed I said, "Someone needs to get Haymitch a drink." It was true. Haymitch had been getting irritable and seemed on the edge. I heard Peeta make something of a laugh but stopped short.

"Don't. Peeta said not looking at me. "We shouldn't pretend if no one's around."

I felt a sharp pang of hurt at his words. did he really think I was pretending to try and be his friend. Did he think that low of me? Well if he did so be it. I was tired and didn't want to argue.

"All right, Peeta." I said before going into my room.

That was the last time we talked, aside from being in public. In training Peeta and I had mastered all the basics in the survival stations and some weapon and fighting. We steared clear of the weights and archery. All too soon, our private session with the Gamemakers came around. Peeta and I sat in silences as they called tributes names. They started with district one, then went down the row till district twelve. Soon Peeta and I were the only ones left.

"Katniss Mellark." A voice called.

I stand and start to walk to the door, forcing my head high. "Remember what Haymitch said about being sure to throw the weights." Peeta said quietly, causing me to stop short.

"Thanks. I will." I said looking over my shoulder at him. "You…shoot straight."

I saw him nod his head, before I turned back around. I walked into the training room, to find only a few of the Gamemakers were actually concentrating. I could tell that they had been eating and drinking. They had to sit through twenty two other tributes showing what they could do best, and must have had wine delivered to them. I could tell it wasn't going to go well for me or Peeta. For me, this fact didn't really bother me. I knew I was going to die. That was inevitable. But Peeta…no! I couldn't think about that at that moment. I had to focus if I wanted a score higher than two.

I don't go off with a good start. First, I just start chucking heavy balls around. They felt like they were made for lead or something equally heavy. The first few don't go very far, about a food or two. One rolled out of my hand, causing me to jump back in hopes of avoiding a bad foot injury. By some miracle none of the Gamemakers were paying attention to me at that point. Only one or two seemed to notice that there were loud bangs here and there. I started to realize I wasn't going to get any points if I kept this up, so I started to through things I knew. I chose to throw smaller balls, and it was a lot easier.

Most of them now were landing five feet or more away. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that the Gamemakers watching me were smiling in approval and others were now watching me, too. Though the majority of them started to sing or an attempted to sing. It just sounded like a drunken animal in pain. In frustration, I picked up the heaviest weight and throw it. To my udder surprise and some of the Gamemakers as well, the weight landed around fifteen feet away. The loud bang of the weight hitting the ground stopped the drunken Gamemakers singing. I looked up to see almost all of the Gamemakers with a shocked expression.

"You may go now." One said. I was guessing it was the Head Gamemaker.

I politely bowed to them before walking to the elevator and heading up to the twelfth floor. I was somewhat angry with those Gamemakers. I know they had a long day and were probably board or drunk, but they could at least act like they were paying attention. It wasn't that much to ask, was it? Besides, they would have their fun once the twenty-four of us are in the arena and they can do whatever they want to us. Once on my floor, I went to my room and just lounged around. After a while I heard someone shouting then a door bang shut.

"What's going on?" I asked coming out into the hallway to see Effie and Haymitch knocking on Peeta's door and shouting for him to come out.

"We don't know," Effie said, sounding distressed. "Peeta has locked himself in his room, and refuses to come out."

"How did your session go today, anyway?" Haymitch asked.

"It went okay." I shrugged. "I'm going to go back into my room."

Back in my room, I just sit on my bed like usual and stare up at the ceiling, thinking what could've caused Peeta to be this upset. I must've fallen asleep, thinking of Peeta, because I was woken up by the sound of Effie knocking on my door saying it was time for dinner. Dragging myself out of my comfy bed, I walk out of my room and down to the dinning hall. I notice I was still in my training uniform but I didn't care. Cinna, Portia and Haymitch were already there sat when I came into the room. Not long after I sit down, Effie and Peeta show up and take their seats.

Throughout dinner, Peeta kept his eyes down cased not saying anything. As the main course was being severed Haymitch asked the question that I'm sure was on everybody else's mind.

"Okay enough small talk. Just how bad were you?" Haymitch asked.

"I don't know that it mattered. By the time I showed up, no one even bothered to look at me. They were singing some kind of drinking song, I think." I said before Peeta could be burned. "I threw around some heavy objects until they told me I could go."

"And you?" Haymitch asked.

"I shot an arrow at the Gamemakers." Peeta said quietly. Everything went silent. All knives and forks stopped moving with everyones eyes on Peeta.

"You what?" Effie said horrified.

"I shot an arrow at them. Not exactly at them. In their direction. It's like Katniss said, I was shooting and they were ignoring me and I just... I lost my head, so I shot an apple out of their stupid roast pig's mouth!" Peeta said, not looking at any of us.

"And what did they say?" Portia asked gently.

"Nothing. Well, I don't know. I walked out after that." Peeta said. I couldn't help but smirk at what Peeta had done.

"Without being dismissed?" Effie said, shocked.

"I dismissed myself," Peeta said, defiantly.

"Well, that's that," Haymitch said, then picks up a roll and butters it to resume his meal. "What were their faces like?"

A small smile stretches across Peeta lips. "Shocked. Terrified. Uh, ridiculous, some of them. One man tripped backwards into a bowl of punch." Peeta said lifting his head.

That got all of us to laugh. Even Effie had a small smile on her lips. Once dinner was over, we went into the living room to see what scores we got. They go by district, so first was district one then two then three and so on. Most or the Careers got either an eight or ten. Too soon for my liking, it was our turn to see our scores. I was beyond surprised to get a score of nine. Everyone was surprised to see that Peeta got a score of eleven. Rarely would someone get a score that high, even a Career usually wouldn't get that high.

"Good job. I knew you could do it." I said with a small smile, stretching out my hand for him to shake.

Peeta shook my hand, before we were ordered to bed since tomorrow night was our interviews and last day in all before the games started. The next morning there was a familiar knocking and someone saying we had a 'Big, big day.' I groaned and rolled over on my stomach, forcing myself up. I hop into my shower and wash quickly before getting dressed and heading towards the dinning room.

"Morning, Catnip." Haymitch said, as I come into the dinning room. I frown at the new nickname but don't say anything as I take my seat.

"Morning-" Effie starts to say.

"I want to be trained separately." I blurt out before I could stop myself. "I…I want Peeta and I to be trained in private."

"Are you sure?" Haymitch said. I just nod, not wanting to talk about it.

"Is there a particular reason why you changed your mind, Katniss." Effie asked gently.

"I'd rather talk about that later." I said, as Peeta came into the room and took his seat across from me.

Everyone is silent for a long time. This fact doesn't go unnoticed by Peeta. "So, what's going on? You're coaching us on interviews today, right?" Peeta said.

"That's right," Haymitch said, with a small nod.

"You don't have to wait until I'm done. I can listen and eat at the same time." He said making me wince. He couldn't any more.

"Well, there's been a change of plans. About our current approach." Haymitch said. I silently curse him in my head. Just say it. Just tell him. I couldn't do it myself, he knew that.

"What's that?" Peeta asked, confused.

"Katniss has asked to be trained alone." Haymitch said.

Well, now the cats out of the bag. I kept my eyes glued to my food not wanting to see the anger or betrayal on Peeta's face. I wanted to be trained alone for the interview because there was something I didn't want Peeta to know.

"Good." Peeta said. I felt a pang of hurt. He didn't even care. "So, what's the schedule?"

"You'll each have four hours with Effie for presentation, and for with me for content." Haymitch said. "Peeta you'll start with Effie."

After breakfast, Haymitch go to the living room to start thinking what I should say during my interview. I sit on the sofa amd he sits in the chair across from me. For a while we just sit in silnce.

"So, trained alone?" Haymitch asked raising his eyebrow.

"In the arena…I want to protect Peeta. I want him to live," I said, not looking up at him. "But he can't know that's my plan. He wouldn't want me to. You've seen how he is. Peeta doesn't like to be protected."

"Why?" Haymitch asked. "Why do you want to keep him alive in the arena?"

"Because…I….because…I…uh…" I stammered trying to get the words out. "Because…I love him." I finally said.

There. It's out and can't be taken back. Hopefully Haymitch wouldn't laugh too hard at me. But as I look at Haymitch, he seemed to be deep in thought. Maybe he was expecting this, that he could tell I loved Peeta. What would he make me do to keep Peeta alive?

"And we need the sponsors to like you." Haymitch said. I just nod.

"What about Peeta?" I asked. "He doesn't have much of a likeable manners, to most people." I said, feeling a little guilty for saying that.

"Well Catnip, you're going to tell the world that you're in love with him" Haymitch said.

At that I went into a state of shock. I kept opening my mouth to say something, but quickly closed it not knowing what to say. My thoughts were all jumbled up, I couldn't think straight. How could I do that? I couldn't even tell Peeta. How on earth would I tell Peeta?

"Tell them." I repeated. "How? I can't even admit it to him?"

"Then you can finally reveal your feelings." Haymitch shrugged.

"How would I fit that into the interview?" I asked.

"Ceasar will ask you about a girl back home, he often does with a lot of the tributes. Especially those who are as charming as yourself. I have a feeling you and Ceasar will get along very well in your interview." Haymitch said.

"What if he doesn't?" I asked.

"Then work it into the interview." Haymitch said. "Though he won't believe you."

I just nodded. I already new that. Peeta would most likely just laugh at that. Hopefully he won't be mad. Would he ever believe me? Or would he think it was all an act for the cameras. After that we go over on what I should do, which is just act charming and stuff. Then it was time for lunch. I barley had anytime to each my lunch before Effie pulled me into my room for training. My session with Effie was pretty easy since all I had to be taught was how to sit and walk in high heals. Effie seemed pleased that I was easy to train. Then Cinna came in and showed me my dress. It was bright pink with flames at the bottom. After trying on the dress I was able to relax the rest of the night, because tomorrow was our interviews. I somehow found myself back on the roof thinking about tomorrow, the whole world would know my feelings for Peeta, and Peeta would hate me. I walked back down and disappeared into my room. I crawled into bed, my last thought was hoping Peeta wouldn't hate me to much.

The next morning I'm awoken by my prep team. I'm forced to take a shower before the prep team can get me ready. They work on my hair and make up which surprisingly takes most of the day and well into the afternoon. Then Cinna comes in, dismissing my prep team. I smile as he helps me into my dress. Then we're rushed down stairs where I see Peeta in a tux.

Just before we are brought onto the stage, Haymitch appeared behind us and hissed, "Remember, you're still a happy pair. So act like it."

Ceasar seemed to bounce up to the stage. He looked the same as he did every year, except he had dyed his hair blue this year. He began with solo jokes to warm the audience up, before he called the tributes up to where he stood. Each interview was three minutes long and at the end a buzzer would go off to signal the end of that Tribute's time. I concentrated on each tribute as they step up to Ceasar. As the line slowly and slowly get shorter I started to panic. What if he didn't ask? How would I get in that I love Peeta. I'm last so it gives me a little more time.

But all too soon it's my turn. I wait until they call my name before going up to Ceasar. The row of the crowd was so intense I couldn't even hear myself think. I shake my hand with Ceasar before taking my seat.

"Katniss, welcome to the Capitol!" Ceasar said enthusiastically. "Tell me, you're a baker's daughter, am I right?"

"That's right, Ceasar." I said smiling.

"So how does the bread here in the City compare to that back at District Twelve?" Ceasar asked.

"Not quite as fresh as back home, I have to admit." I said joking.

"Tell me, what is different about the Capital then back home." Ceasar asked.

"Those showers are really problematic!" I giggled. "I'm not sure what buttons I've been pressing, but please tell me; do I still smell of roses?" I joke.

"You must be missing home?" He asked.

"Of course." I said, my face going a little grave. "I miss my father."

"What about a boyfriend back home? Waiting for the return of his baker?" He asked me, and I realized it was time to put mine and Haymitch's plan in action. I shook my head in response.

"Beautiful girl like you. There must be some special boy. Come on, what's his name?" Ceasar pressed.

I made a point to sigh. "Well, there is this one girl. I've had a crush on her ever since I can remember. But I'm pretty sure she didn't know I was alive until the reaping." I said.

"He have another girl?" Ceasar asked sympathetically, my thoughts flickering to Gazle. I always thought they had a thing for each other.

"I don't know, but a lot of girls like him." I said, remembering how often the girls at school had whispered of Peeta and how handsome he was.

"So, here's what you do. You win, you go home. The he can't turn you down then, eh?" he said trying to lighten the mood.

"I don't think it's going to work out. Winning...won't help in my case." I said, knowing I had the audiences attention now.

"Why ever not?" Ceasar asked me.

Here goes nothing. "Because…he came here with me." I finally said, lowering my eyes to the ground.


	2. Part 2 The Games

For a moment no one said anything. Then Caesar spoke. "Oh, that is a piece of bad luck." Caesar said, with a real edge of pain in his voice. The people in the crowd murmured in agreement, a few even cried out in agony.

"It's not good." I agreed.

"Well, I don't think any of us can blame you. It'd be hard not to fall for that young man." Caesar said. "He didn't know?"

"Not until now." I said as I shook my head.

"Wouldn't you love to pull him back out here and get a response?" Caesar asked the audience. The crowd screamed its agreement while I mentally scream no.

"Sadly, rules are rules, and Peeta Everdeen's time has been spent. Well, best of luck to you, Katniss Mellark, and I think I speak for all of Panem when I say our hearts go with yours." Caesar said as he kissed my hand.

The roar of the crowd was deafening. I could barley hear myself thank Caesar as I walk off the stage.

The anthem, played before the twenty-four of us get back into the Training Center and up into the elevators. As I got into mine, I saw Peeta take the opposite one, making sure I knew it was on purpose. Of course, he hates me. In my elevator, no one speaks. Slowly the tributes in my elevator get off on their leaves until it's just me.

I didn't even take two steps as I got out of the elevator when I felt a hand roughly grab my shoulder and shoved me up against a wall. My head hit the wall with a loud thud, causing my vision to go fuzzy. I had to blink a few times until they finally adjusted. The first thing I saw was Peeta's angry eyes glaring daggers at me.

"What the hell was that?" Peeta snarled at me. His gripped didn't loosen up but seemed to get tighter. "First you don't talk to me, then you want to train alone, and now you're saying you love me!"

I was too shocked and scared to answer him. Someone came up from behind and grabbed Peeta around the waist, wrenching him away from me. I took a few breaths sliding down the wall. Haymitch came in between us, stopping Peeta from coming near me.

"You wanna train alone then let's go right now!" Peeta shouted, earning him a slap in the face from Haymitch.

"She did you a favor." Haymitch said.

"She made me look weak." Peeta said, looking past Haymitch to glare at me.

I couldn't take it anymore. I sprinted up the stairs wanting to go hide in my room but I know it wouldn't help. Instead I sprint up the stairs, getting as far away from the fight as possible. But I could still hear their shouts of anger, Peeta angry at me Haymitch angry at Peeta.

"She made you look desirable." Haymitch shouted his voice rising in anger. "Which in your case, can't hurt. Now I can sell the star crossed lovers from district twelve-"

"We are not star crossed lovers!" Peeta shouted.

**"**It's a television show. And being in love with that girl might just get you sponsors, which could save your damn life." Haymitch shouted back.

The voices start to disappear the closer I get to the roof until, I couldn't hear them. Once on the roof, I walk over to one of the corners with the flowers, sit down, and try to forget what had just happened. I don't go down for dinner, half afraid of how Peeta will act the other half I'm not sure. I could tell my mind started to wander as I looked over the edge of the roof to the chaos of the city streets in an uproar of excitement. Tomorrow at dawn, we would be sent off into the arena, where the actual Games began. Though, it doesn't start until ten because many of the Capitol citizens rise late. But Peeta and I had to make an early start. There was no telling how far we would travel to the arena that had been prepared for this year's Games.

I didn't know how long I had been up there. "You should be getting some sleep." I heard Peeta's voice say behind me, making me jump but I didn't turn around to face him.

"I didn't want to miss the party. It's for us, after all." I said sarcastically.

Peeta came around and was at my side, leaning over the rail to look down at the crazy street. "Are they in costumes?" Peeta asked.

"Who could tell?" I said, with a small smile. "With all the crazy clothes they wear here. Couldn't sleep, either?"

"Couldn't turn my mind off," Peeta said sitting down across from me.

"Thinking about your family?" I asked.

"No." Peeta said sounding a bit guilty. "All I can do is wonder about tomorrow. Which is pointless, of course. I'm really sorry about going after you." I could hear more guilt in his words.

"It doesn't matter, Peeta." I said, waving it off. "I've never been a contender in these Games anyway."

"That's no way to be thinking." Peeta said, making it sound like I was crazy.

"Why not? It's true. My best hope is to not disgrace myself and . . ." I start but hesitates, not knowing if it would make a difference in our situation.

"And what?" Peeta said, curiously.

"I don't know how to say it exactly. Only . . . I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?" I asked. Peeta shook his head looking confused. "I don't want them to change me in there. Turn me into some kind of monster that I'm not."

Peeta bit his lip, looking a little inferior. "Do you mean you won't kill anyone?" Peeta asked looking a little shocked.

"No, when the time comes, I'm sure I'll kill just like everybody else. I can't go down without a fight. Only I keep wishing I could think of a way to . . . to show the Capitol they don't own me. That I'm more than just a piece in their Games." I said as I looked at Peeta to see if he was fallowing.

"But you're not." Peeta said. "None of us are. That's how the Games work."

"Okay, but within that framework, there's still you, there's still me." I insisted, trying to make him see. "Don't you see?"

"A little. Only…no offense, but who cares, Katniss?" Peeta said.

This got me a little angry. I've never gotten angry at Peeta before but this just rubbed me the wrong way. "I do. I mean, what else am I allowed to care about at this point?" I said, letting my anger seep into my voice. I locked my duel gray eyes on those beautiful blue eyes, demanding an answer.

This caused Peeta to take a step back. "Care about what Haymitch said. About staying alive, Catnip." Peeta said.

It was like a slap in the face. I just glare at him, not saying a word. After a while he got up. "Look, if you want to spend the last hours of your life planning some noble death in the arena, that's your choice. I want to spend mine in District Twelve." Peeta said, and started to walk to the door.

"Wouldn't surprise me if you do," I said. "Give my mother my best when you make it back, will you?"

"Count on it." Peeta said bitterly before disappearing down the steps.

I linger on the roof top for a while before heading down to my room and falling asleep. The next morning I didn't see Peeta anywhere as I make my way to the hovercraft that will deposit me at the launch stations where we'll wait until it was time to go into the nightmare called the Games. On the hovercraft I get injected with some type of tracker device that'll let them track my every move in the arena. Soon though I enter my launch station, and I'll be the only one to use it. When I enter, I saw Cinna standing there waiting for me. Without thinking, I rush into his arms. After a while we break away from each other. He gives me the outfit I would be wearing in the arena. Then gives me a black jacket with red and white stripe down the sleeves.

"Twenty seconds." A voice said.

I could feel my whole body starting to shake. I looked back at Cinna, who nodded and led me over to the launch pad. Before I stepped in, I hugged Cinna one more time knowing it would be my last. I could feel tears streaming down my face, but at the moment I didn't care if I looked weak or not. After we broke apart, I stepped onto the launch pad but kept my hand locked with his. Once there, a glass cylinder lowered around me, breaking our hands apart. He tapped his finger under his chin, head high. I lifted my chin and stood as straight as I could.

The cylinder began to rise. For about fifteen seconds, I was in darkness. Then I could feel the metal plate started to push me out of the cylinder, and into the opened air above. For a moment, my eyes were blinded by the bright sunlight. I could only tell that there was a strong wind with the smell of pine trees.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games begin!" Ceasar voice boomed all around me.

Sixty seconds. That was how long we were required to stand on our metal plates before the sound of a gong would go off, telling us we could get off our metal plates. If anyone stepped off before the minute was up, the land mines would blow you sky high. I remember this one year; a girl dropped her token before the gong went off. It took about three days for them to scrape her off the arena floor.

Right when the gong sounded all the tributes would run for the Cornucopia, a giant golden horn shaped like a cone with a curved tail. It's mouth, which is at least twenty feet high; spills over with things that would help us stay life in the arena. There would be food, containers of water, weapons, medicine, garments, lighters, and many other things. Strewn around the Cornucopia were other supplies. Their value decreased, the farther they were from the horn.

For instance, only a few steps away from my feet laid a three-foot square of plastic. Maybe it could be of some use. Maybe if there was a downpour. But in the mouth, I could see a tent pack that would protect you from almost any sort of weather. If I had the guts to go in and fight for it against the other twenty-three tributes, but I knew better. The reason why they put the most valuable things in the mouth of the Cornucopia, so far away from us, was to pull us into the horror of the bloodbath. I found this out after watching a few past Hunger Games, and that's why district twelve never one, except when Haymitch did. Though, I never saw the Hunger Games where he won.

We were on a flat, open stretch of ground, a plain of hard-packed dirt. Behind the other tributes across from me, I couldn't see anything. It indicated either a steep downward slope or even a cliff, to my right laid a lake, and to my left and back, sparse piney woods. That was were I knew I should go. But it was tempting. Then I saw the bounty waiting there before me. The Career Tributes that had survived the bloodbath would divide up most of these life-sustaining spoils. Something, all of a sudden, caught my eye. There, resting on a mound of blanket rolls, was a silver sheath of arrows and a bow, already strung, just waiting to be engaged.

Then I noticed Peeta. He was about five tributes to my right. Still, I could tell he was looking at the bow and arrow. The look in his eye said he was deciding to run and try to grab it. All of a sudden his head snapped towards me. Our eyes connected and I started to shake my head frantically, telling his not to do it. Then the gong went off and all the tributes took off running towards the Cornucopia, including me. Though, I ran for the back pack closest to me. Right when I was about to grab it, someone grabbed me from behind and yanked me to the ground so they could me down. I looked up to see Cato around me, a sword poised in his hands. He had a smirk on his face as he looked down at me.

"Looks like your boyfriend can't save you, huh Catnip." He teased raising his sword to kill me.

"Actually he's about to shoot you right now." I said as convincingly as I could.

That did it. Cato looked behind him, seeing if I was telling the truth. I took his distraction to my advantage. I kicked him off me, before I tackled him to the ground. It was hard it to pin him down, obviously. He was well built and had strong muscles, but I got him down. I looked down at him, a smirk now on my face. I had somehow managed to get a dagger from the ground, and now I held it to his throat.

"Clove, do it." Cato shouted.

Without thinking, I looked behind me to see if what he was saying was true. I felt a sharp pain in my ribs, and the next thing I knew, I was under Cato who somehow got my dagger out of my hand and held it to my throat.

"Do it Cato. Kill her so we can get on with it." Someone said, sounding anxious to see me blood flow freely from my body.

Cato looked at me for a second, before raising the dagger getting ready to kill me. Then an idea came to me. "You know, you're never going to find him without me." I said, casually.

That seemed to stop him. "What did you say?" Cato asked. One of the other Career's, Clove I think it was, was about to abject. "Shut up, Glimmer!" Glimmer; ugh the names the people in district one give there kids are ridiculous.

"I said, you're not going to be able to find him without my help." I said again, smirking. "None of you know were to find him without me, or how to catch him. Peeta's smart, fast, strong, and very clever."

Cato looked at me for a long time, seeming deep in thought. But he kept the dagger to my throat. After a few minutes of waiting in suspense, Cato got off me. At first I thought he was going to get a sword to finish me off with. Instead, he held out his hand for me to take. I knew there was a double meaning to accepting his outstretched hand. To team up with the Career's or die.

Trying not to seem too displeased, I took Cato's hand and am pulled to my feet. Cato was smiling at me, which freaked me out a little but I didn't say anything. I was still a little tense, ready to run or fight if any of the others tried to attack me. I was sure Clove was by how many daggers she through at me with her eyes.

"She's right, we would most likely die before we could find him let alone catch him, but you can." Cato said, still smiling as he pat me on the back.

Cato started to walk towards the other Career's, who looked at me quizzically. Clove was right on his heels, still seething. I smiled slightly, but on the inside I felt sick to my stomach. I felt like I was a traitor, which I sort of was for teaming up with the Career's. I felt like puking, but I had to hold my ground with them or else they would rip me apart.

I knew what they would do now; from years and years of watching the Games in the City Square. I would be cuddled into my fathers side, trying to block out all the begs to be spared and bloodcurdling screams of the other Tributes as the Career's killed. They always killed the tributes who were weaker then them.

"They probably enjoy it, too." I mumbled under my breath.

"Okay guys, we need to collect all our supplies here and keep them together." Cato said.

Cato started to pick up the supplies that still lay around the Cornucopia and the ones that the dead tributes tried to take but failed to get away. I had to suppress the shudder that came as I looked around at the blood smeared grass. I could only imagine what it would be like if the bodies were here. As I tried to catch my breath, I felt a pain in my ribs. I couldn't help but let my gaze wonder to the woods, where I knew Peeta would be hiding; running farther from the Cornucopia and the Career's and I. I felt sick again when I thought about being with the Career's. But that was the only way to ensure Peeta's safety. I turned back to where the others were gathering up rest if the supplies and started to move them into a pile.

I took a long shaky breath, trying to straighten myself and harden my exterior. I couldn't mourn the death of the dead tributes now or any time soon. I had to remind myself I didn't even know any of them. But as I watched the Career's starting to talk, forgetting about the dead tributes at their feet, realization hit me hard in the face. This was real, I was now fighting not only for my survival, but for Peeta's too.

We set up a camp near the lake with our supplies in one big pile. It wasn't that inconspicuous but since it was the Career's. I started wonder if Peeta was hiding somewhere already, what he was doing, if he had found an ally, if he was on his own, if he had found water.

The sound of the first canon interrupted my thoughts. But the Careers kept on talking as the canons fire, but I kept silent and counted them in my head. Eleven canons mean eleven dead. I ate my last three crackers in silence, keeping my gaze on the ground. I didn't know the names of the dead, but they were all burned into my mind.

"Eleven down, twelve to go." Clove said, making me feel ill.

I finally looked around at my new allies; a couple of them glanced at me suspiciously. Allies that didn't trust me, and I didn't trust them. We had been here by the lake for an hour or so I thought. I couldn't really tell because I didn't have a clue what time it was. After we had the supplies we sat to eat, rest, and attend to any wounds. The sun was still bright in the sky when Cato got to his feet, picking a backpack that had been packed with specific supplies.

"We're going hunting." Cato announced to the rest of us.

My head snapped up to attention. At first I thought he meant for food, which would be weird since we already had some much form the Cornucopia. Then I realized Cato didn't mean animals, he meant tributes. My thoughts go back to Peeta; hoping he was in a tree somewhere. I got to my feet and walked over to where Cato and Clove were getting ready to hunt. When I picked up a backpack, they both looked up in unison and just stared at me.

"What are you doing?" Clove asked me in a rather deadly tone.

"Hunting." I said as if it were obvious.

"Nobody said you were coming along." Clove said, frowning at me.

I turned to Cato, ignoring Clove completely. It was quite obvious who was in charge of the Careers. The large boy seemed to be considering me with suspicious eyes.

"She comes with us. Clove, perhaps you should stay behind with the supplies?" Cato said before he turned to see the full outrage on Clove's face. He paused as he seemed to reconsider his offer. "Or actually, perhaps it's best if Glimmer stays back."

I glanced across at the girl, who had the bow and arrows that I was sure was meant for Peeta. It was obvious that she didn't really know how to use the weapon as she played around with it, confusion clearly etched into her expression.

"Cato, why is she coming with us?" Clove hissed glaring daggers at me. I was unsure if I was supposed to hear her or not.

Cato sighs. "Because she knows him, Clove. She knows his secret and she could be useful." Cato said.

I decided not to mention anything as I picked through the pile of supplies. Clove huffed and stormed away to get ready for the hunt. I could feel Cato's eye on me, was watching me carefully. I turned to him and tried to give my friendliest smile. He continued to watch me with a straight, hard face causing my smile to falter for a while. It reminded me of Peeta a little; how he could pull all emotions from his face.

"So, what is Peeta's secret?" Cato asked casually.

"It doesn't matter for the moment. When it becomes an issue, I will let you know." I said stiffly, hoping that would keep him at bay. At first I thought he was going to push the subject, but Clove was at our side once again.

"Okay, everybody is ready to go." Cato said, hoisting his backpack onto his shoulders.

I grabbed my own backpack full of food, medical supplies, water, and a torch. Everything that could hold supplies had already been packed with hunting provisions by Clove and Cato. It scared me a little how efficient and ordered they were at this particular task.

The first few hours of the hunt involved a lot of walking but Cato didn't seem to be bothered by the lack of other Tributes. My guess was that the real hunt didn't start until the sun went down. As the sky darkened to night the Anthem ringed out over the arena and all of us stopped in our tracks as we turned our attention to the sky.

The Capitol seal was floating in the night sky. Headshots of the dead and the district they came from floated over us. No names, just faces. I knew that Peeta was still alive because there hadn't been another canon to announce anyone else had died. Relief still filled me when I didn't see his face in the sky. When the seal disappeared and the music finished, the Careers carried on with whatever they had been talking about.

The walking continued. They didn't bother to be quiet while we headed through the woods, which I thought was somewhat stupid on their part. Any tribute nearby would most likely stay silent and out of sight until the loud pack moved on. As it got later everyone was obviously getting tired. They talked less and moved more quietly. Any suspicious sound pulled Cato and Clove up short, prepared to fight.

Every time it was an animal or the wind. Sometimes they killed the animal, and moved on without even taking the animal as a meal for later. I was still trying to figure out just how much they delighted in the kill. There was some light that began to peak over the trees when Cato saw the glow in the trees.

"There!" Cato whispered, pointing up at what seemed to be a dying ember of a fire.

My heart thumped harshly against my chest as thought of Peeta, but forced myself to calm down. He was smart; too smart to start a fire at night. I repeated that to myself in my head over and over as the others broke out into a run towards the dying fire. I tried somehow was able to keep up; driven by the adrenaline of fear. It was a little boy but not Peeta I noticed with much relief. Though, then I felt pity for the little boy who'll be killed very soon. He must've dozed off by his fire.

Clove and the boy called Marvel were the first to arrive. They grabbed his arms, startling the boy awake. Cato strolled up to where he was pleading with them, looking up with wide, frightened eyes.

"No, please! No!" The boy begged frantically.

I stayed back a few paces, trying to hold myself tall and strong. Cato slammed his sword into the boy's chest; causing him to scream in agony. I couldn't help but flinch and look away, biting my lip hard, not caring as blood flowed into my mouth, to hold in my disgust and scream. His scream faded until I couldn't hear him over the Career's as they cheered and congratulated one another. I forced myself to look back at them after taking several deep breaths. I kept my eyes up on the faces of the Careers, rather than the dying boy.

"Check him for anything useful." Cato said before he turned to look at me.

I forced myself smile tightly and nodded my head, hoping it looks like a nod of approval. He said nothing, just pulled the sword from the boy's chest. The sound of the sword getting pulled out of his flesh was sickening, and I'm sure I heard a small cry from the poor boy. The others didn't seem to notice.

"Useless. This guy has nothing on him." Clove sighed.

"Wonder who he was." Marvel mused, mostly to himself.

"Who cares?" Clove cut in harshly.

"Better clear out so they can get the body before it starts stinking." Cato said, making us all move on.

Clove and Cato debated over whether to move on or return to the base camp. I could only think of the boy and his final plead. '_I'm sorry, I'm so sorry._' I repeated the apology in my head to the dead boy. The others stopped in a clearing, trying to come to a decision. I felt sluggish and just want to lie somewhere and as far away from the Career's as possible.

"Shouldn't we have heard a canon by now?" Clove's voice broke through my thoughts. Could the boy really still be alive?

"I'd say yes. Nothing to prevent them from going in immediately." Glimmer said.

"Unless he isn't dead." Clove pointed out.

"He's dead. I struck him myself." Cato argued, getting angrier.

The argument went on and I started to get more and more irritated with all of them. I was exhausted physically and mentally, but the Games have only just begun.

"We're wasting time!" I finally snapped; cut ting through whatever they were arguing about. "I'll go finish him and let's move on!"

"Go on then Catnip." Clove said. Oh wonderful, the nickname was spreading. "See for yourself."

With a sigh, I turned and retraced our steps to where the boy laid by his dying fire. I hesitated when I saw him there but forced my feet to move forward, falling to my knees beside him. Blood pooled around him, which I avoid kneeling in. He was breathing still, but his breath was very ragged. He gurgled a little, blood spilling from his lips and ran in a line down his cheek. I choked back a sob as I took his head and placed it on my lap and I ran my fingers through his red hair.

"I'm so sorry," I said quietly to him.

His eyes flickered a little, finding me cradling his head gently to me. He tried to say something but couldn't seem to form any words. He was nearly dead when I leaned down and kissed him on his forehead, trying to whip away his pain with the little comfort I could give him.

"I'm sorry, but it's going to be okay now. It will stop hurting now." I whispered to him as I continued to run my fingers through his hair softly and whip away the tears that slide down his face. He took one last ragged breath before he fell completely still, his eyes staring up at the brightening sky with no more life in them. I closed his eyelids and laid his head back on the ground gently.

"I'm sorry." I whispered one last time, kissing his forehead one more time before returning to the Careers.

"Was he dead?" Cato asked as soon as he saw me break through the trees.

"No. But he is now." I said right before the canon sounds through the air. Cato looked at me with suspicion while Clove with wonder. "Ready to move on?" I said getting irritated with their staring.

We walked for a while, and then before I could think we were running for our lives as fire poured down on us. Branches were falling around us, all of them aflame and throwing up sparks. Small animals fled under our feet and disappeared into the bushes. I followed blindly behind the others. I pulled my shirt up over my nose and mouth as I ran, in an attempt to hold off the worst of the smoke that filled the air. Sweat soaked into the shirt giving me small protection, but it was better than nothing.

We seemed to be running for hours, zigzagging around the trees and rocks. Breathing started to get painful and each breath causes sharp pain in my lungs. The fire was everywhere, no chance of it stopping.

All of a sudden fireballs started to fall on us and didn't stop. There are a lot of close calls. One landed not far in front of me and I had to skid to an abrupt stop, almost falling to the ground. Sparks from the flame bursted out at me. I hissed in pain as I was hit in the chest, patting down on it to make sure the cloth didn't catch fire. Finally, the attack stopped. Marvel was shouting for Glimmer, Cato and Clove were shouting for one another. We ran to the river, and I heard his name.

"It's that boy, Peeta!" Clove yelled happily before running across the river.

I gasped in the fresh air, coughing and spluttering. I rushed into the bushes to throw up before running to catch up with the Career's. I easily catch up with them. As we ran after Peeta, I prayed that he had enough of a head start and some scene to get up a tree. When we caught up to him, I was in somewhat of relief to see got up a tree and was way out of any of our reach. He was smiled down at us as he stopped climbing, but I quickly looked at the ground, afraid of what awaited me if I did look into his eyes.

"How's everything with you?" Peeta called down to us way to cheerfully.

"Well enough." Cato said, smirking. "Yourself?"

"It's been a bit warm for my taste." Peeta said. I could almost hear the laughter from the Capitol. "The air's better up here. Why don't you come on up?"

Was he crazy? Was he asking for a death wish? I started to mentally panic, but still didn't look up. I knew there was going to be hate, betrayal, or worse; nothing. Like he knew I would do this, team up with the Career's and betray him by helping them hunt him down. Or he just didn't care at all of what I do in the Games as long as I get killed. I started to polish my knife with my shirt to make it not so obvious about avoiding Peeta's gaze, which I felt burning wholes in my skull.

"Think I will." Cato said, taking off his backpack and pulling out his sword.

"Here, take this, Cato." Glimmer said as she offered him the silver bow and sheath of arrows.

"No. I'll do better with my sword." Cato said, pushing Glimmers' bow way.

Peeta seemed to wait for Cato to hoist himself onto the tree before he started to climb again. As I watched Peeta climb, I couldn't help but think of a squirrel; how he scurried up the tree at a very fast rate. Part, I'm guessed, was because of his weight. But most of it was from the years of practice he had. He knew exactly where to place his hands and feet.

Cato didn't have a chance to catch up with him. He was already up another thirty feet, when the branch Cato tried to hoist himself feather up the tree snapped, sending him to the ground. Cato hit the ground hard, though I prayed in my head he had managed to break his neck. But he got back up and started to swear.

Glimmer decided that she could climb the tree and get to Peeta. She got farther then Cato but stopped when the branches started to crack under her weight. She looked embarrassed as she came down the tree, no doubt feeling fat, but in the Games children usually loose weight then gain weight.

Peeta was at least eighty feet high by now, but still he kept climbing. Glimmer tried to shoot at Peeta. You could tell she was horrible using the bow as one of the arrows got lodged in the tree near Peeta; which he grabbed it and started to tease her with it. This only got the others mad, while I knew he could easily kill all of us if he had the bow and arrows. I had a strong thought that he would hold onto that arrow for a while.

The others started to think make up plans on killing Peeta, but twilight had already came and their opportunity to kill him was gone. But they didn't seem to take note in the change of day light, and kept discussing how they should kill Peeta.

"Oh, let him stay up there." I finally said, fed up with their arguing. "It's not like he's going anywhere. He has to come down sometime. Either that or starve to death. We'll deal with her in the morning."

The rest of them seemed shocked at my outburst. "Fine." Cato said, seeming as equally fed up as me. "Let's get some fire wood. Katniss, you keep watch on him."

I didn't say anything as the rest of the Career left. I sat down at the trunk of the tree so I could rest my back against the trunk. Soon they were back and we had a fire going. Again, the Career's acted like friends on a camping trip and not like enemies that will wind up killing each other. When it was time for bed, none of us wanted to keep watch so we just went to bed.

I couldn't help but look up into the shadowy branches of the tree as I curled up ready to go to bed. It took me a long time to fall asleep. I kept tossing and turning trying to relax my body and go to bed. When I finally fell asleep, what a waited me was something worse. Nightmarish images of Peeta and his mangled body. Every time I tried to save him, I was always late.

All of a sudden there was a loud crash before everything was muted out by the sound of frantic screaming and the buss of thousands of angry bug wings. At first I thought they were wasps until someone screamed they were tracker jackers. Like the jabberjays, these killer wasps were spawned in a lab and strategically placed, like land mines, around the districts during the war. Larger than regular wasps, they have a distinctive solid gold body and a sting that raises a lump the size of a plum on contact. Most people can't tolerate more than a few stings, some die at once.

If you live, the hallucinations brought on by the venom actually had driven people to madness. Another thing, these wasps will hunt down anyone who disturbs their nest and attempt to kill them. That's where the tracker part of the name comes from. After the war, the Capitol destroyed all the nests surrounding their city, but the ones near the districts were left untouched. Another reminder of our weakness, I guess, just like the Hunger Games.

I was up and started to run towards the river, the only safe place from these mutts. I already gotten a few stings but I didn't stop, I couldn't stop until I was surrounded by water. Marvel, clove, and Cato soon fallowed in. I could already see lumps forming on the causing me to panic. What if the tracker jackers stay over the lake until we come up for air? What if we black out underwater and drown?

All my worries though vanished as the tracker jackers flew right over us and disappeared. Once we were sure they were gone, all of us surfaced, gasping for breath as we swam to the shore and started to walk back to the tree were we left Peeta and our weapons. Except of Cato, who ran with his sword, and Clove, who had a vest that carried her knives.

"I'm going to kill him." Cato growled, the muscles in his arm tensed up. "I'm going to slit his throat. Gut him like a fish."

I just rolled my eyes and continued to walk, trying to hide the shiver that those images brought. I just prayed that Peeta had the scene to get out of that tree and ran as fast as he could away from there. Then the cannon went off, causing me to jump. Weather it was the fear Cato's rant brought or the tracker jackers or something else, I started to sprint for the tree. I could hear the other's yelling for me to stop, but I didn't listen, running with the adrenaline fear brings. As I bursted through the foliage, my heart gave a leap of joy as I saw Peeta standing there, with the bow and arrow Glimmer had. I continued to run to him, picking up a spear just in case.

"Peeta, what are you still doing here?" I asked franticly as I stumble over Glimmers dead body. I could hear the other Career's coming. "You have to get out of here! Go!" All Peeta did was look at me like I was the insane one being effected by the venom. I could hear the others closing in. "GO!" I finally yelled pushing him hard him the opposite direction the Career's were coming from.

That got him going. Peeta took off sprinting into the woods, wobbling a little but he didn't stop. I let out a sigh of relief, as I watched him disappear into the woods. All of a sudden, a sharp pain cut across my upper leg. I fell to the ground, screaming in pain. I looked up to see Cato standing over me, and from the look of it, he saw me warn Peeta.

"Traitor." Cato growled as he raised his sword to kill me.

Then the unexpected happened, Cato screamed before falling over, unconscious. At first I thought Peeta came back, but then I saw the rest of the Career's were on the ground, unconscious. The venom must have gotten to them. That's when everything started to look disoriented. Cato's skin turned purple, and I knew the venom was starting to take effect on me. I forced myself up and took off running way from the Career's. I didn't know were I was going, but I knew I had to get away as far away from them as I could before I blacked out.

As I ran, everything became weird and disoriented. I couldn't tell what was real or not. Tress's started to twist this way and that, leaves started to turn into the faces of the dead tributes, bushes started to reach out and try to grab my feet. I kept running into tree's and tripping over tree roots, until I finally just fell to the ground. I tried to keep my eyes open as I continued to crawl away from the Career's. I didn't get that far before I finally game up. I collapsed to the ground breathing heavily, trying to stay awake. I could hear the rush of the river, as hands clawed at my vision until my vision went black and I couldn't see anything but darkness.

For a while nothing happened, until nightmares filled my peaceful darkness. The first was off Peeta. Instead of Glimmer being stung to death, it was Peeta. I had to watch helplessly as he was stung to death; I had to listen to his screams of pain. I heard him beg me to just stab him to end his suffering. Then the image faded away. I thought it was over but another one came on. That's how it went for a long time, every time I thought it was over another nightmare started, more worse then the others.

All of a sudden, my eyes snapped open and I saw trees surrounding me. I thought there was going to be another nightmare but after a few minutes of no nightmarish images, I knew they were finally over. I sighed in relief, thanking it was over. I stretched my arms out, trying to get rid of the stiffens in my muscles, I started to wonder how long I had been out. As I tried to get up, I felt pain shoot up my leg. I didn't want to look, knowing the cut could be either fatal or infected, or both. I get to my knees and looked around, trying to get my baring and wondering were I was.

I was in a swampy marshy area near the river. Then an idea came to me. I forced myself to my feet and started to limp towards the river. Once there I started to walk around the river, trying to find a good spot to hide. As I walked, I kept picking up mud and stuff. When I finally found the right spot, I painted my face with the mud and some of the rocks around me to go onto my mask of mud so I blended into the rocks. Then I painted my legs, ignoring the pain of the cut. Then I grabbed some foliage around me to cover the rest of my body.

When I was sure no one could find me, I laid down. As I lay there, I could feel the pain building up in my body until eventually I pass out from it. I have no dreams only darkness. I'm wakened from my peaceful unconsciousness by a loud explosion. I'm aware of my thirst that's burning my throat. I don't try to get up; the pain in my leg had turned to numbness. Then I heard the cannon go off, sending fear into my body. Then I saw the boy from district ten's picture, who had a broken neck. Relief spread through me, knowing that Peeta may be still alive.

After a few minutes there were two more cannon's. One of the pictures was of Marvel with an arrow in his chest. The other was of the little girl Rue. Rue had flowers covering her whole body and lying on a bed of flowers. I couldn't help but smile at the image of Rue. I started to wonder who did that to her, when Claudius Templesmith's voice booms over the arena for all to hear. He congratulated for the remaining six of us. I started to pray Peeta was one of the six. But he wasn't inviting us to a feast. He was saying there had been a rule change in the Games.

A rule change! That in itself is mind bending since we don't really have any rules to speak of except don't step off your circle for sixty seconds and the unspoken rule about not eating one another. Under the new rule, both tributes from the same district could be declared winners if they were the last two alive. Claudius paused, as if he knew we weren't getting it, and repeated the change again. Two tributes can win this year, if they were from the same district. Both could live. Both of us could go home. I couldn't stop myself as I whispered Peeta's name as a surge of hope came with it.


	3. Part 3 The Victor

Waiting. That's all I've been doing was waiting for Peeta to come and get me. But the longer I wait the more I doubt he'll come. I was aroused at the sound of footsteps coming towards me. I opened my eyes only slightly so I could see who's coming but I would stay unseen to them.

"Katniss." I heard a voice call.

I knew that voice. Could it…no. It's a stupid to think that Peeta would come looking for me. Even if he did come for me what good would I be. I'm as good as dead with or without the wound in my leg. By now it's probably infected. Besides, if my leg is infected then that would explain the hallucinations of Peeta.

"Katniss." I heard Peeta called again.

Then Peeta came into view. I felt something like relief and joy wash over me as I saw him. He was real. He really came for me. Why he came, I didn't know and didn't care. A thought struck me. Peeta might have came here not to help me but to come and kill me.

"Come to finish me off, lover boy." I say without thinking. That's when I realized my throat was drier then I thought. I opened my eyes fully to see as he frantically looked around, trying to find me. He took another towards me that was way to close for comfort. "Well don't step on me." I say grabbing his ankle.

Peeta's head looked down. I couldn't help but laugh at his shocked expression. I couldn't remember when I laughed like this. A true laugh, when my side hurts. As I looked up at him with a smile on my face, I saw that the corners of his lips were turning upward.

"Close your eyes." He said excitement in his voice.

I oblige without hesitation. I trusted Peeta with my life. When I opened my eyes again, Peeta was kneeling at my side. My emotions went haywire just at the sight of him. At that moment all I wanted to do was kiss him and never let him my side again.

"I guess all those hours decorating cake finally paid off." Peeta joked.

"Yes, frosting. Last defense from death." I joke back.

"You're not going to die." Peeta said.

"Says who?" I ask.

"Says me." Peeta said starting to get the mud and vines that kept me hidden off me. I felt a surge of hope from those words. Thinking that there might be a chance that Peeta did love me. I knew I was going to die, no doubt about that but maybe I would die happy with Peeta at my side.

"We're on the same team now, you know." Peeta says working his way down to my lower half.

"So I heard. Nice of you to find what's left of me." I said sarcastically.

"Lets get you to the stream and wash you off. Then I can see what kind of wounds you have." Peeta said.

"Lean down for a sec. I want to tell you something." I said. Peeta obliges and leans down. "Remember we're madly in love. So feel free to kiss me anytime." I whisper to him.

Peeta pulls back laughing. "Okay. I'll keep that in mind." He said with a smile.

He brought a canteen of water to my lips. I quickly took a sip that turned into gulps of water from the canteen. The water brought sweet relief to my aching throat. As he continued to pull away the leaves and vines, he unknowingly touched the wound that Cato made causing me to yelp in pain. Peeta's head snapped up looking at me with concern in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Cato cut me with his sword." I said, trying to ignore the pain in my leg.

"Are you able to walk?" Peeta asked.

"I don't think so." I sad getting into a sitting position leaning on my elbows. "But I could-" I couldn't even finish my sentence before Peeta scooped me into his arms bridal style. "You don't have to do this." I mumble to Peeta.

"I'm not going to leave you." Peeta said, getting the double meaning of my words.

Wait till he sees my wound, Then he'll leave me for sure. Peeta carried me over to the stream, laying me down next to it. He props me up against a rock so I was in a sitting position. First, Peeta washed the caked on dirt and mud off my upper body, scrubbing softly with some moss. It wasn't long until Peeta got to my clothes. All of a sudden his hands frozen as he was scrubbing. Peeta had an uncomfortable look on his face.

"I'm going to…um…need you to…uh…t-take off your…uh…" Peeta stammered out pointing at my shirt.

It took me a few seconds to get what he wanted. I had to take off my shirt for him to wash the rest of me and get to my wounds. I felt heat rush to my face as I took off my shit. I felt even more heat as I realized all I had on underneath was a bra and no undershirt. At least I had something to cover myself with. Peeta, on the other hand, looked a little squeamish at this but seemed to get over it or forced himself to. As he continued to wash my upped body, I was trying to force my heart to slow down but to no avail. It felt like it was doing summersaults along with my stomach. I never thought that this would happen in a million years. I felt like the happiest girl in the world at this moment, even though I knew he was only doing this because the games keepers changed the rules.

Soon all the dirt has left my upper body, allowing Peeta to see the wounds I got from earlier. His face relaxes as he sees there's nothing major. Just some stings, some bruises, and one or two burns. Peeta rummaged through his back for a little bit before pulling out some leaves. He was about to put them in his mouth, but stopped and looked closer at my stings from the tracker jackers. He put the leaves back into his backpack. Then he came closer, squinting at one of the lumps that the stingers caused.

"The stingers still in there." Peeta said, sitting back on the balls of his feet.

Peeta digs around in his pack again until he pulls out something silver that I couldn't see. I don't know what it is, but Peeta uses it to dig out the stingers from the lumps on my body. I try my best not to show any sign of pain but I can't stop myself every time Peeta pulls out a stinger, I let out a small whimper. Once all of them are out, Peeta brings out the green leaves again. He chews them up for a little bit before spitting them out. Then he placed them onto on of the lumps and immediately the pain was gone. I moaned softly at the sensation. No pain. Well at least from that spot. Peeta continued to do this to the rest of my stings. Then he pulled out a silver container filled with yellowish cream. He dipped his finger in and rubbed the yellowish glob onto my burn, instantly soothing the burning. Then he pulls out a bottle of pills.

"Swallow these." Peeta said, holding out some of the pills to me. I swallow them without hesitating. "You must be hungry."

"Not really." I said realizing that I truly wasn't. "It's funny. I haven't eaten in days."

That doesn't seem to convince Peeta. He holds a piece of groosling for me. But I'm not even hungry. I'm actually appalled by the stench of the groosling. My nose wrinkles up and I turn my head away from the stinking meat. When I look back at Peeta, I could see he was starting to worry. I wasn't hungry, I didn't see what was the big deal. Most likely I would get hungry later.

"Katniss you have to get some food in you." Peeta insist.

"It'll just come right back up." I said. "Besides, I'm not that hungry."

Peeta didn't give up that easily. He kept on arguing that I needed to eat until I gave in and started to eat a little bits of dried apple slices. Once I was finished, Peeta face seemed to pale. I realized that it was time to look at my leg wound. Slowly I pulled my pants down until they were completely off me. I couldn't look at the wound myself, I was too scared to. But judging my Peeta's facial expressions, it wasn't a pretty sight.

"Pretty awful, huh?" I said, not letting my eyes leave Peeta's face.

"So-so. You should see the people they bring to my mother from the mines." Peeta said, shrugging as if it wasn't a big deal. "We should first clean up the wound."

Silently, Peeta wash the rest of my body, being gently on my leg wound. Peeta goes through his pack looking for what I presume something that'll help heal my wound.

"Okay, we're going to do some experimenting." Peeta said uneasily.

"Okay that's fine." I say trying to reassure him.

First, he started to put that green stuff on the cut. But after a while, he gives up trying to use those and goes on applying the burn cream. He continued to apply different ointments to my wound. After a while I get an idea.

"Peeta?" I asked. His vibrant blue eyes looked down at me. I didn't say it out loud, but I mouth, 'How about that kiss?' Unexpectedly, he laughed. "Something wrong?" I asked putting an innocence face on.

"I...I'm no good at this. I'm not my mother. I've no idea what I'm doing and I hate pus. Euh!" He groaned as pus started to come out.

"How do you hunt?" I asked him, smiling slightly. If he couldn't handle cleaning a wound how could he kill an animal.

"Trust me. Killing things is much easier than this." Peeta said. I could tell he was turning slightly green. "Although for all I know, I am killing you."

"Can you speed it up a little?" I said somewhat joking.

"No. Shut up and eat your apples." Peeta snapped, going back to his work. I stay quiet for a while as Peeta works on me. After awhile, Peeta seems very flustered. "This is as much as I could do."

"Okay, what are we going to do?" I asked.

"Well, I'm going to wrap up your leg and then we should find a some shelter." Peeta said.

I just nod, feeling exhausted. Peeta wrapped around my wound before picking me up bridal style and started to walk downstream. I stayed quiet; feeling like it wasn't the time for talking. The moon was up when we arrived at a small stone cave.

"I think it will be safe in here." Peeta said walking inside and setting me down. "No one could find you in here."

I just nodded, as Peeta helped me into the sleeping bag. "So know what are we going to do?" I asked.

"First I'm going to go out and get some water for you to drink." Peeta said. "And then…um…we'll figure something out."

Peeta kissed my head lightly before walking outside. I waited in the sleeping bag, truing to fight off sleep that pulled at the edged of my brain. Peeta came in a few minutes later, carrying a silver container. I had to rub my eyes a few times before forcing myself into a sitting position.

"What's that?" I asked, still a little tired.

"Chicken soup. Haymitch sent it." Peeta said walking over to my side. I was about to take the container, but he pulled it out of my reach. "I can do it." Peeta said, getting a spoonful of soup ready.

"I'm not sure I'm hungry." I said, wrinkling my noise.

"Katniss, you need to eat." Peeta said, looking at me with pleading eyes.

It was hard not to say no to his face. "I'm not that hungry, really Peeta. You should eat some." I said, pushing it to him.

Peeta just shook his head. "You need to eat." Peeta insisted.

Sighing, I gave in and opened my mouth for a spoonful of soup and swallowed. "You know you don't have to feed me." I said.

"You fed me once." Peeta said getting another spoon filled.

"You know I always think about memory all the time." I said, softly. "I should've gone out into the rain! I should just gone out and…and-"

"Hey, hey it's okay Katniss. Shh…shh." Peeta said gently, try to calm me down. "I still remember the first time I met you."

I looked up at him confused. How and or why would he remember it? And what was the first time we met? The only encounter I could remember was when I threw him the bread when we were kids. After that all I did was observe him from a far.

"Your hair was in two braids instead of one." Peeta said smiling slightly, reaching up to touch my braid. "I remember the teacher asking if anyone knew a valley song and your hand shot up. All the birds stopped singing their song to listen to you sing. Prim was with me that day. She loved that song, begged me to sing her that song every night. So I decided to ask your dad if he new the song. He did, and offered to teach me so I could sing it to Prim at night."

There was a moment of silence. "Could…could you sing me to sleep?" I asked, looking over at Peeta. At my question, Peeta raised an eyebrow at me in mock suspicion. "My father use to sing me to sleep when I was a kid. I guess it relaxes."

Peeta just nodded, putting the soup down before walking over to my side. He laid down beside me and pulled me onto him so my head rested on his chest near his shoulder. He had one arm was wrapped around my waist and the other hand running repeatedly through my hair. He somehow managed to do this all without upsetting my infected leg.

"Ready." Peeta asked, looking down at me with a small smile. I nodded my head enthusiastically before snuggling into Peeta's neck. Then he started to sing.

_Deep in the meadow, under the willow.  
>A bed of grass, a soft green pillow<br>Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes  
>And when again they open, the sun will rise. <em>

_Here it's safe, here it's warm  
>Here the daisies guard you from every harm<br>Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true  
>Here is the place where I love you.<em>

I was nearly asleep by now, my eyes were closed listening to Peeta's beautiful voice. I could feel myself starting to slip into unconscious. "Wait Katniss!" Peeta said, waking me up.

"Yes Peeta, what's wrong?" I asked as I rubbed my eyes.

"Look at me for a second." Peeta said, his voice was a little shaky.

When I turned my head to him, I saw the same look in his eye that I saw when he came into the cave earlier with the soup. Out of nowhere, Peeta crashed his lips to mine. I was beyond surprised. Why in the world would Peeta want to kiss me? He seemed pretty mad at me after I confessed my love for him to Panem. I found that I didn't want or care about why he was doing it. I kissed him back eagerly, tangling my hand into Peeta's hair. The kissed deepened quickly, and I found myself laying under Peeta, my hands still in his hair. I let out a moan as Peeta's tongue slipped out and ran over my closed lips. Before the kiss go any further, the need for air was too great and had to break apart. I felt the heat rush to my face, burning more then usually.

"I…um…" I stammered not knowing what to say.

"I think you should get some rest, keep up your energy." Peeta said as he got off me. He sat up and pulled me back to his side, my head back resting back on his chest.

"What about keeping watch?" I asked, starting to fall asleep.

"I'll keep watch." Peeta said.

I silently nuzzled Peeta's shoulder, then a thought came to me. "Peeta?" I asked quietly.

"Yes, what is it Katniss." Peeta said looking down at me.

"Could…could you finish the song, please." I asked, almost begged him. "Please, it'll be the last thing I'll ask tonight and it'll help me to sleep."

"Okay, get comfy." Peeta said smirking. I just rolled my eyes and barred my head into Peeta's shoulder, hiding my smile. Then I felt Peeta lightly kiss my head, causing me to sigh happily. Then Peeta's beautiful sing voice hit my ears.

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away  
>A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray<br>Forget your woes and let your troubles lay  
>And when again it's morning, they'll wash away. <em>

_Here it's safe, here it's warm  
>Here the daisies guard you from every harm<br>Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true  
>Here is the place where I love you.<br>Here is the place where I love you. _

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away  
>A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray<br>Forget your woes and let your troubles lay  
>And when again it's morning, they'll wash away. <em>

_Here it's safe, here it's warm  
>Here the daisies guard you from every harm<br>Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true  
>Here is the place where I love you.<em>

I fell asleep and for the first time, I didn't have any nightmares just wonderful dreams about Peeta. When I woke up, I was alone in the cave. It was around late afternoon. I started to panic. Where was Peeta? Did he die? Did he just leave me, knowing I was going to die of my leg infection? Suddenly, I started to taste salty water. I raised my hand, touching it to my eye to felt hot wet tears. I was crying, all because Peeta had left me for dead. I laid back down, curled into myself ignoring the pain from the leg, and started to cry. I stayed like that for a while, before I heard footsteps entering the cave. It must be Cato and Clove coming to kill me.

"Katniss?" a voice said. A voice called, sounding like Peeta's.

I looked up to see it really was Peeta. I was filled with delight at the sight of him. Then I saw Peeta's face go into shock and panic. Peeta ran over to me, and fell to his knees. He seemed panicked as he started to look over me.

"Katniss what's wrong? Are you in pain?" Peeta said frantically.

"I-I thought you left me." I said tears still streaming down my face. "I woke up and you were gone."

"There was a parachute out side. I went to go get it." Peeta said, starting to calm down as did I. "How do you feel."

"Better than yesterday. This is an enormous improvement over the mud." I said. "Clean clothes and medicine and a sleeping bag . . . and you. What's in the parachute?"

"Dinner. Chicken broth." Peeta said.

"I'm not hungry." I said quickly.

It took an hour of coaxing, begging, threatening, and yes, kissing for me to drink the whole soup. But finally, sip by sip, I finish the pot. I reach up to kiss him, but he lightly pushes me back down. "No more kisses for you until you've eaten the rest of your food." Peeta said.

I prop myself up against a rock and slowly eat the berry mush Peeta gives me, but I still refuse the groosling. Then I realize something. "You didn't sleep." I said.

"I'm all right." Peeta insisted. But I could tell he was exhausted.

"Sleep now. I'll keep watch. I'll wake you if anything happens." I said. I could see his hesitation. "Peeta, you can't stay up forever."

Both of us new I was right. Peeta sighed and got into the sleeping bag next to me. I rest my head on his chest and hear his steady heart beat. "Wake me up in a few hours." Peeta said.

Soon Peeta was asleep. Peeta seemed so peaceful; he didn't wear that scowl that was always there. As Peeta slept, I silently traced his eyes, eyebrows, cheek bones, nose, and mouth with the tip of my fingers. It was well after the time Peeta told me to wake him up, with the sun setting and the sky turning dark when Peeta woke up.

"Katniss, you were supposed to wake me after a couple of hours." Peeta said annoyed.

"For what? Nothing's going on here." I said. "Besides I like watching you sleep. You don't scowl. Improves your looks a lot."

This, of course, brought a scowl to his face which made me grin. Peeta seemed to notice something as he reached out and placed the back of his hand to my cheek. I say that I had been drinking water as he slept but I could tell he wasn't buying it. He gave me more fever pills and watches as I drink the first and second quart of water. Then he tended to my minor wounds; the burns, the stings, which were showing improvement. Peeta took a moment before he unwrapped my leg.

I saw his face pale and I knew it got worse. I could feel the swelling had increased as I moved my leg a little and the burning sensation had became even stronger. I watch silently as he chewed on his upper lip and I knew that we needed medicine from the Capitol if I was to survive. I started to wonder if all the donations Haymitch got from all of our sponsors would be enough to get the medicine. I doubted it since the price of the gift goes up in price the longer the Games continue. What buys a full meal on day one buys a cracker on day twelve.

"Well, there's more swelling, but the pus is gone." Peeta stated in an unsteady voice.

"I know what blood poisoning is, Peeta." I said. "Even if my mother isn't a healer."

"You're just going to have to outlast the others, Katniss. They'll cure it back at the Capitol when we win." Peeta said still a little shaky.

"Yes, that's a good plan." I said trying to reassure.

"You have to eat. Keep your strength up. I'm going to make you soup." Peeta said getting up.

"Don't light a fire." I said. "It's not worth it."

"We'll see." Peeta said as he left the cave.

I waited for Peeta to return patiently. But soon I became restless. As the time dragged on I started to get worried about Peeta; was he okay? Did one of the other tributes find him? That's when the blood poisoning finally caught up to me. I started to get hot and I felt miserable. I was just thank I was in the shade of the rocks. After a half an hour or so Peeta reenters the cave. I stretched out on top of the sleeping bag trying to hide how miserable I felt. Peeta could see right past it as he put a cold cloth on my head but the coldness didn't last long.

"Do you want anything?" Peeta asked.

"No." I said with small grin. "Thank you. Wait, yes. Tell me a story."

"A story? What about?" Peeta asked questionably.

"Something happy. Tell me about the happiest day you can remember." I said anything to lighten the mood.

Something between a sigh and a huff of exasperation left his mouth. I watched as Peeta thought of a happy story. I guessed most of his happy memories was of Galze and him out in the woods hunting or doing things. Once again a pang of jealousy surged through me at the thought. Then it seemed an idea came to him.

"Did I ever tell you about how I got Prim's goat?" Peeta asked. This was unexpected. I shook my head and looked at him expectantly. So, Peeta began the story.

"It was Prim's birthday and I want to get her something really special." Peeta started. "I had gotten a lot of money by selling an old silver locket that my mother no longer wanted. By the time I went to the market it was late afternoon on Prim's birthday. Gazle came with me to buy her present." A small scowl came to my face at the mention of Gazle's name.

"I was looking at dress that Prim might want when something caught my eye. There was an old man who kept small herds of goat on the other side of the Seam. I didn't know his real name; everyone called him the Goat Man." Peeta continued. "His joints were swollen and twisted in painful angles, and he had a hacking cough that proved he spent years in the mines. But he was lucky. Somewhere along the way he saved up enough for those goats and then had something to do in his old age besides slowly starve to death. He was filthy and impatient, but the goats were clean and their milk was rich if you can afford it."

"One of the goats, a white one with black patches, was lying down in a cart. It was easy to see why. Something, probably a dog, had mauled her shoulder and infection had set in. It was bad; the Goat Man had to hold her up to milk her. But I thought I knew someone who could fix it." Peeta said proudness in his voice.

"Prim?" I guessed.

"Yep. I told Gazle that I wanted to get the goat for Prim. She was skeptical, but walked with me to look at the goat. As we looked at the goat, the Goat Man said she was already sold to Rooba, the town cook, was going to use her for food. Though, when she came over she heard that I wanted to goat for Prim, and since everyone in district twelve liked Prim, she claimed she didn't want the goat because of how mauled it was but I could see the smirk on her face as she left. So the Goat Man gave the goat to us." Peeta said grinning slightly as he relived the memory. "But it took hours to agree on a price. By the time I actually bought the goat, a crowd had gathered to watch us argue over the price. After that, Gazle offered to carry the goat home, but I think he wanted to see the look on Prim's face as much as I did when she saw the goat."

"I also bought a pick ribbon and wrapped it around her neck before Gazle and I went back to my house to give Prim her present." Peeta said smiling even wider. "You should've seen Prim's reaction when we walked in with that goat. She's the girl who cried to save that awful old cat, Buttercup." Was confused at the mention of the cat but didn't interrupt. "She was so excited she started crying and laughing all at once. My mother was less sure, seeing the injury, but the pair of them went to work on it, grinding up herbs and coaxing brews down the animal's throat."

"They sound like you." I commented.

"Oh, no, Katniss. They work magic. That goat couldn't have died if it tried." Peeta said. But then bit his tongue, seeming to think that I might get some ideas from that comment since I was dying.

"Don't worry. I'm not trying." I said half joking. "Finish the story."

"Well, that's it. Only I remember that night, Prim insisted on sleeping with Lady on a blanket next to the fire. And just before they drifted off, the goat licked her cheek, like it was giving her a good night kiss or something." Peeta said in wonder. "It was already mad about her."

"Was it still wearing the pink ribbon?" I asked, trying to picture that sweet scene.

"I think so." Peeta said. "Why?"

"I'm just trying to get a picture." I said thoughtfully. I knew most of the story wasn't true. "I can see why that day made you happy."

"Well, I knew that goat would be a little gold mine." Peeta said; another lie.

"Yes, of course I was referring to that, not the lasting joy you gave the sister you love so much you took her place in the reaping." I said drily.

"The goat has paid for itself. Several times over." Peeta said in a superior tone.

"Well, it wouldn't dare do anything else after you saved its life." I said. "I intend to do the same thing."

"Really? What did you cost me again?" Peeta asked seeming very confused and curious.

"A lot of trouble. Don't worry. You'll get it all back." I said waving it off.

"You're not making sense." Peeta said a little worried. He tested my forehead. "You're a little cooler though." Another lie.

Before I could say anything the trumpets sounded. Peeta jumped up and walked over to the mouth of the cave his full attention on what the announcement brought. The Seaser Crane's voice blasted over the whole arena.

"Attention tributes, attention! Commencing at sunrise, there will be a feast tomorrow at the Cornucopia. This will be no ordinary occasion. Each of you needs something, desperately. And we plan to be... generous hosts." Seaser Crane said. "Each of you will find that something in a backpack marked with you district number, at the cornucopia. Think hard about refusing to show up. For some of you, this will be your last chance. Good luck and may be the odds be ever in your favor."

The only sound that welcomed me was the still silence of the cave. I force myself up and walked to Peeta's side. I grabbed Peeta by the shoulder, causing him to jump.

"No." I said, my voice shacking. "You're not risking your life for me."

"Who said I was?" Peeta said, nonchalantly.

"So, you're not going." I asked, curiously.

"Of course, I'm not going. Give me some credit. Do you think I'm running straight into some free-for-all against Cato, Clove, and Thresh? Don't be stupid." Peeta said, waving it off, I could easily tell he was lying. Not from what he said but how he said it. "I'll let them fight it out. Then, we'll see who's in the sky tomorrow night and work out a plan from there."

Peeta picked me up bridal style, brought me over to the sleeping bag, and tucked me in. "You know Peeta, you're a horrible liar." I said, before I started to mimic him. "'_I knew that goat would be a little gold mine_. _You're a little cooler though_. _Of course, I'm not going_.' Never gamble at cards. You'll lose your last coin."

His face flushed as it contorts with anger. "All right, I am going, and you can't stop me!" Peeta said angrily.

"I can fallow you." I countered. "At least part of the way. I may not make it to the Cornucopia, but if I'm yelling your name, I bet someone can find me. And then I'll be dead for sure."

"You won't get a hundred yards from here on that leg." Peeta stated, pointing to my leg.

"Then I'll drag myself." I said, determined not to let Peeta and get himself killed without me right behind. "You go and I'm coming, too."

I know I was being stubborn but I wasn't going to give in any time soon. "What am I supposed to do? Sit here and watch you die?" Peeta said, making it clear it wasn't an option.

"I won't die, I promise. If you promise not to go." I said, looking to into his eyes.

We stared at each other for long time, neither of us giving in. Peeta seemed to be thinking about this for a moment.

"Then you have yo do what I say. Drink your water, wake me when I tell you to, and eat every nit of the soup no matter how disgusting it is." Peeta said, sternly.

"Agreed." I said quickly. "Is the soup done, yet?"

"Wait here." Peeta said.

The temperature had gone down rapidly. I had to wrap the sleeping bag around me tighter hard to keep decently warm, though I was still shivering. Peeta brought over the soup, insisting that he fed me. He probably thought I was going to drop it on purpose or something, which I might have. The soup tasted disgusting, warm and goopy. I had to force myself not to through up or complain as I ate it. When I was finally done with the soup, Peeta seemed genuinely happy. He makes me take a few fever pills.

Peeta went out side to wash up. After a while I started to get worried that he had ran off and went to the feast, but his bow and arrows were still there. Would he still go off to the feast without his bow? Before I could get too worked up over this, Peeta walked back into the cave holding a small silver container.

"I've brought you a treat." Peeta said with a smile. "I found a new patch of berries a little farther downstream."

I opened my mouth without any hesitation, quickly swallowing the first bite. "They're very sweet." I said frowning slightly.

"Yes, they're sugar berries. My mother makes jam from them. Haven't you ever had them before?" Peeta asked, feeding me another spoonful.

I had to swallow before answering. "No." I said, puzzled. "But they taste familiar. Sugar berries?"

"Well you can't get them in the market much they only grow in the wild." Peeta said giving me another spoonful and swallowing it.

"They're sweet as syrup." I said as I take the last spoonful.

My eyes widened as I realized what it really was. He was feeding me this types of medicine that forces you sleep. Peeta seemed to know I found out what he was doing, he clamped his hand over my mouth and nose. He had to force feed me so he could go to the feast. I would've found this touching if it didn't have to go down like this. I started to claw at his hands as my air started to run out. That didn't do much and I had to breath soon, both of us knew it.

Reluctantly, I swallowed the rest of the spoonful. Right as his hand pulled away, I shoved a finger into my mouth trying to make myself throw up the medicine. But it was too late, I could already feel consciousness losing its grip on me. I gave Peeta one last glare before darkness was all I could see.

_**Peeta's Point of view**_

I couldn't help but shudder as I looked down at Katniss's limp body. She looked like Rue when she dies. So still, lifeless. I had to take several deep breaths before looking back at Katniss. I bent down and whipped the berry juice that dribbled out of her mouth. I propped her head against my orange backpack, tucked her into the sleeping bag and made sure she was in a good position without irritating her leg. I was about to leave her side when a thought came to me. I leaned down and kissed her on her forehead.

"Goodbye Katniss, hopefully I'll be back for dinner." I whispered to her, not caring if the rest of Panem could here me.

I quickly got up, grabbed my bow and quiver, and left before I could talk myself out of it. It was still dark when I left and made my way to the Cornucopia. When I arrived at the edge of the clearing, that surrounded the Cornucopia, the sun had risen high enough in the sky so I could see the table in front of the Cornucopia that held the three backpacks. One had a two on it, one had a five on it, one had an eleven on it, and the last had a number twelve on it. That confirmed that Foxface, Thresh, Cato, and Clove were all still alive.

I waited for a at least thirty minutes before getting up. Before I ran for the table, all of a sudden Foxface ran out of the Cornucopia and grabbed her backpack before taking off running into the woods. I smirked a little as I watched her retreating form. I looked around one more time before taking off to the table. I grabbed my backpack, and started to run around the corner of the Cornucopia, when a knife came at me. It gave me a cut over my right eye and effectively knocking me down. I got up to see Clove about to chuck another knife at me.

Before she could hit me with another, I tried shooting an arrow at her, but didn't work. She ran at me knocking me back down. We wrestled for a while, both of us trying to get the upper hand. She somehow got the upper hand on me and pinned me to the ground, a knife to my throat, making it was impossible for me to get back up.

"Where's your little girlfriend, twelve? Still hanging on?" Clove taunt, smirking evilly.

"She's out hunting Cato," I said smirking evilly. "Katniss!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

Clove punched me hard in my throat effectively cutting of my scream. "Liar." She said smirking evilly. "She's nearly dead. Cato knows where he cut her. You've probably got her strapped up in some tree while you try to keep her heart going."

Then she reached over and grabbed the blue bag with the number twelve on it. "What's in the pretty little backpack? That medicine for Catnip? Too bad she'll never get it." Clove said smirking, pulling out a small dagger. "I promised Cato if he let me have you, I'd give the audience a good show."

I started to struggle as I got what she meant. She was going to kill me in the most painful way possible. "Forget it, District Twelve. We're going to kill you. Just like we did your pathetic little ally…what was her name? The one who hopped around in the trees? Rue? Well, first Rue, then you, and then I think we'll just let nature take care of Catnip. How does that sound?" Clove asked, grinning like a snake. "Now, where to start?"

She carelessly wiped away the blood from my wound with her jacket sleeve. For a moment, she surveyed my face, tilting it from side to side as if it's a block of wood and she's deciding exactly what pattern to carve on it. I tried to bite her hand, but she grabbed my hair on the top of my head, forcing me back to the ground.

"I think . . ." she almost purred. "I think we'll start with your mouth." I clamped my teeth together as she teasingly traced the outline of my lips with the tip of the blade.

I won't close my eyes. The comment about Rue had filled me with fury, enough fury I think to die with some dignity. As my last act of defiance, I would stare her down as long as I could see, which will probably won't be a long time, but I would stare her down, I won't cry out. I'll die, in my own small way, undefeated.

"Yes, I don't think you'll have much use for your lips anymore. Want to blow Lover Boy one last kiss?" Clove said. I worked up a mouthful of blood and saliva and spat it in her face.

She flushed red with rage. "All right then. Let's get started."

I braced myself for the agony that's sure to follow. But as I felt the tip open the first cut at my lip, someone forcefully yanked Clove off my body, before she started to scream. I was too stunned at first, too unable to process what had happened. Had Katniss somehow come to my rescue? Have the Gamemakers sent some wild animal to add to the fun? Had a hovercraft inexplicably plucked her into the air?

But when I pushed myself up on my numb elbows, I saw it's none of the above. Clove was dangling a foot off the ground, imprisoned by Thresh's arms. I let out a gasp, seeing him like that, towering over me, as he held Clove like a rag doll. I remembered him big, but he seemed more massive, more powerful than I recalled. If anything, he seemed to have gained weight in the arena. He flipped Clove around and flung her onto the ground. When he started to shout, I jumped, since I never heard him speak above a mutter.

"What'd you do to that little girl? You kill her?" Thresh shouted.

Clove scrambled backward on all fours, like a frantic insect, too shocked to even call for Cato. "No! No, it wasn't me!" Clove said desperately.

"You said her name. I heard you. You kill her?" Thresh said, angrily. A thought brought another fresh wave of rage to his features. "You cut her up like you were going to cut up this girl here?"

"No! No, I —" Clove saw the stone, about the size of a small loaf of bread in Thresh's hand and lost it. "Cato!" she screamed. "Cato!"

"Clove!" I heard Cato's yelled back, but he was too far away, I can tell that much, won't do her any good.

What was he doing? Trying to get Foxface or Peeta? Or had he been lying in wait for Thresh and just badly misjudged his location? Thresh brought the rock down hard against Clove's temple. It's wasn't bleeding, but I could see the dent in her skull and I knew that she's a goner. There's was still life in her though, by the rapid rise and fall of her chest, and the low moan that escaped her lips.

When Thresh whirled around on me, with the rock raised, I knew it was no good to run. My bow was empty, the last loaded arrow having gone in Clove's direction. I was trapped in the glare of Thresh's strange golden brown eyes.

"What'd she mean? About Rue being your ally?" Thresh said.

"I…I…we teamed up. Blew up the supplies. I tried to save her, I did. But he got there first. District One," I said, my voice shacking. Maybe if he knew I helped Rue, he wouldn't choose some slow, sadistic end for me.

"And you killed him?" Thresh demanded.

"Yes. I killed him. And buried Rue in flowers," I said, still shaking. "And I sang her to sleep."

Tears sprung to my eyes. The tension, the fight goes out of me at the memory. I'm overwhelmed by Rue, the pain in my head, my fear of Thresh, and the moaning of the girl that was dying a few feet away.

"To sleep?" Thresh said gruffly.

"To death. I sang until she died." I said. "Your district…they sent me bread." My hand reaches up but not for an arrow that I knew I would never reach, just to wipe my nose. "Do it fast, okay, Thresh?"

Conflicted emotions cross Thresh's face. He lowered the rock and pointed at me, almost accusingly. "Just this one time, I let you go. For the little girl. You and me, we're even then. No more owed. You understand?"

I nodded because I did understand, about owing, about hating it. I understood that if Thresh wins, he'll have to go back and face a district that has already broken all the rules to thank me, and he is breaking the rules to thank me, too. I understood that, for the moment, Thresh wasn't going to smash in my skull.

"Clove!" Cato's voice was much closer now. I would tell by the pain in it that he saw her on the ground.

"You better run now." Thresh said before taking off.

I didn't need to be told twice. I flipped over and got to my feet, dipped into the hard packed earth as I ran away from Thresh and Clove and the sound of Cato's voice, with my bow quiver and backpacks. Only when I reached the woods do I turn back for an instant. Thresh and both large backpacks were vanishing over the edge of the plain into the arena I've never saw before.

Cato knelt beside Clove, spear in hand, begging her to stay with him. In a moment, he'll realize was futile, she couldn't be saved. I crashed into the trees, repeatedly swiping away the blood that's poured into my eye, fleeing like the wild, wounded creature I was. After a few minutes, I heard the cannon and I knew that Clove had died, that Cato would be on one of our trails, either Thresh's or mine. I'm seized with terror, weak from my head wound, and shaking. I load an arrow, but Cato can throw that spear almost as far as I can shoot.

Only one thing calmed me down. Thresh had Cato's backpack containing the thing he needs desperately. If I had to bet, Cato headed out after Thresh, not me, hopefully. Still I didn't slow down when I reached the water. I plunged right in, boots still on, and floundered downstream. I pulled off Rue's socks that I had been using for gloves and pressed them into my forehead, trying to staunched the flow of blood, but they had soaked in minutes.

Somehow I made it back to the cave. I stumbled through into the cave and knelt down by Katniss's side. In the dappled light, I pulled the little orange backpack from my arm, cut open the clasp, and dump the contents on the ground. A slim box that contained one hypodermic needle. Without hesitation, I drive the needle into Katniss's arm and slowly press down on the plunger before pulling it out. Then something caught my eye on Katniss. Slowly I brushed a strand of hair out of her face and finally got a good look at her. Her face was completely peaceful for the first time since we met. There was no sign of worry or any emotions except for content. Her hair fell around her causing her beautiful pale skin to stand out against her dark waves. Katniss reminded me some much of an angle as it slept. '_My sleeping angle._' I thought to myself as my hands lightly cupped her face. A smile came to my lips at the thought. I was kissing and acting all lovely-dovey towards Katniss for sponsors. I felt guilty about it but it was the only way to keep Katniss and I alive.

Then her head twitched a little bit. "Peeta." Katniss murmured, snuggling her head into my hand. My smile only broadened at this.

I was brought out of my thoughts by a siring pain in my forehead. My hands went to my head and then drop to my lap, slick with my warm sticky blood. The last thing I remember was an exquisitely beautiful green and silver moth landed on the curve of my wrist.

_**Katniss's Point of View**_

I was startled awake by the feeling of rain hitting me face, Peeta's name on my lips. I was worried about him but I didn't know why. My head felt foggy but less foggy then before. What had happened? Everything was seemed clearer then before. There was no more pain in my body, though my limbs were stiff from the lack of use. Then it all came back to me. The announcement of the feast, Peeta claiming he wasn't going to go, Peeta drugging me.

I glanced around the cave frantically, thinking something must have had happened to Peeta. But there he was, curled up asleep at my side. The sight of his sleeping form relaxed me, knowing he was safe. Then I saw the blood; there was a small puddle of blood surrounding her head. He had gotten hurt at the feast.

"Peeta!" I said, shooting up into a sitting position.

I gingerly and as gently as I could, I turned him over onto his back so I could see his face. There was a long, deep cut on her forehead with blood; so much blood. There was a pool of blood that started to form around his head and stained his face. I pressed my shaking fingers against her neck to check his pulse; my own heart running a mile a second. I sighed with relief as I felt his pulse under my hand. I quickly grabbed his backpack and dug around until I found the medical kit, and pulled out the bandages.

I knew I couldn't just bandage it up; after what happened to my leg. Instead, I ripped off a piece and dipped water onto it, before I gently dabbed it to Peeta's forehead. I managed to wash away most of the dirt and dried blood, then quickly bandaged his head cutting off the flow of blood. A clap of thunder and heavy rain make me jump. The Gamemakers had created a thunderstorm, but why? I pushed those thoughts out of my mind as I got to my feet. I noticed that my leg didn't hurt at all.

I unzipped the sleeping bag and snuck it under Peeta limp body. I pulled off his wet boots and socks and placed it off to the side before I zipped it back up. After that I washed the cave floor and realized I was starving. I dug around until I found some groosling. I started to eat until I realized I had eaten five piece of groosling. I put Peeta's backpack next to his boots and socks, so I wouldn't eat the rest of our food. I crawled over to Peeta's side and just sat there waited for him to wake up. After a few hours, I started to worry it was too late to save him. Just as I was about to go into a panic attack, I heard Peeta softly moan.

"Peeta." I said moving closer to him. "Peeta, can you hear me?"

His eyes opened making me sigh in relief; it hadn't been too late. It took Peeta a while to get his barring so I called his name again. "Peeta." Peeta's eyes focused on me and a smile came to his face. "Hey there." I said. "Good to see your eyes again."

"How long have I been out?" Peeta asked.

"Not sure. I woke up yesterday evening and you were lying next to me in a very scary pool of blood." I said, shivering at the memory. "I think it's stopped finally, but I wouldn't sit up or anything." I said concerned.

He carefully lifted his hand to his head to find the bandage. That simply gesture made him look dizzy and weak. I held a bottle of water to his lip. Peeta drank thirstily.

"You're better." Peeta said with a small smile.

"Much better. Whatever you got into me did the trick." I said smiling back. "By this morning, all the swelling and pain in my leg was gone." Peeta watched me carefully, as if sensing something was wrong. Yes, I was furious he tricked me but I let it go; for now.

"Did you eat?" Peeta asked.

"I'm sorry to say I gobbled down five pieces of that groosling before I realized it might have to last a while. Don't worry, I'm back on a strict diet." I said.

"No, it's good. You need to eat. I'll go hunting soon." Peeta said making a move to sit up. He fell back down with a groan of pain.

"Not too soon." I said strictly. I grabbed a cold, wet cloth and draped it over his head. "You just let me take care of you for a while."

Peeta and I both knew he didn't have a choice. I fed him a few bites of groosling and raisins, and make him drink plenty of water. I rubbed some warmth back into Peeta's feet and wrapped them in my jacket before I tucked the sleeping bag up around his chin.

"Your boots and socks are still damp and the weather's not helping much." I said. There was a clap of thunder, and I saw lightning electrify the sky through an opening in the rocks.

"I wonder what brought on this storm. I mean, who's the target?" I asked.

"Cato and Thresh." Peeta said without thinking. "Foxface will be in her den somewhere and Clove . . . she cut me and then . . ." Peeta's voice trailed off.

"Clove's dead?" I asked shocked. "Did you kill her?"

"No. Thresh broke her skull with a rock." Peeta said.

"Lucky he didn't catch you, too." I said.

Peeta all of sudden went green in the face. "He did. But he let me go."

I'm even more shocked. Then Peeta told me everything; about the explosion, his ear, Rue's dying, the boy from District 1, and the bread. All of this lead to what happened with Thresh and how he was paying off a debt of sorts.

"He let you go because he didn't want to owe you anything?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yes. I don't expect you to understand it. You've always had enough. But if you'd lived in the Seam, I wouldn't have to explain." Peeta said.

"And don't try. Obviously I'm too dim to get it." I said, getting irritated.

"Can we not argue about this right now?" Peeta said. "I still don't know why you toast me that bread from when we were kids."

"Why? You know why." I said. But Peeta only shook his head. "Haymitch said you would take a lot of convincing."

"Haymitch?" Peeta asked. "What's he got to do with it?"

"Nothing." I said quickly. "So, Cato, Thresh, and Foxface, huh? I guess it's too much to hope that they'll simultaneously destroy each other?"

That seemed to only upset Peeta. "I think we would like Thresh. I think he'd be our friend back in District Twelve." Peeta said thoughtfully.

"Then let's hope Cato kills him, so we don't have to." I said grimly.

I didn't want Cato to kill Thresh at all, but I didn't want Peeta or I get caught with that horrible task. I didn't want anyone else to die. But that was absolutely not the kind of thing that victors went around saying in the arena. That's when I notice Peeta had tears in his eyes.

"What is it? Are you in a lot of pain?" I asked

"No, I'm fine." Peeta said, his tears disappeared.

"I want to go home, Peeta." I blurted out, not caring that I sounded like a little kid.

"I know me too." Peeta said. "I miss home a lot. We will. I promise."

"how about this; you go back to sleep and dream of home. And you'll be there for real before you know it." I said with a small smile. "Okay?"

"Okay." Peeta whispered. "Wake me if you need me to keep watch."

"I'm good and rested, thanks to you and Haymitch. Besides, who knows how long this will last?" I said.

Soon Peeta was fast asleep. He mumbled a few times in his sleep, before falling silent. It's evening when I woke Peeta. The rain had turned to a downpour, causing the ceiling to have a leak. I had put the plastic to cover the whole; which thankfully worked.

Peeta seemed a bit better. He was able to sit up without falling back down dizzy. Peeta and I are both absolutely starving. I was eager when he woke up. I didn't want to eat without him. There wasn't much left; two pieces of groosling, a small mishmash of roots, and a handful of dried fruit.

"Should we try and ration it?" I asked.

"No, let's just finish it. The groosling's getting old anyway, and the last thing we need is to get sick off spoilt food." Peeta said, dividing the food into two equal piles.

We tried to eat slowly, but we were both so hungry, we finished in a couple of minutes. My stomach wasn't in anyway satisfied. "Tomorrow's a hunting day." Peeta said.

"I won't be much help with that." I said. "I've never hunted before."

"I'll kill and you cook." Peeta said. "And you can always gather."

"I wish there was some sort of bread bush out there." I said.

"The bread they sent me from district eleven was still warm." Peeta said with a sigh. "Here, chew these."

He handed me a couple of mint leaves and popped a few in his own mouth. Then the anthem came on. It was hard to even see the projection in the sky, but it was clear enough to know that there wasn't any deaths today. So Cato, Thresh, or Foxface haven't had it out yet.

"Where did Thresh go? I mean, what's on the far side of the circle?" I asked.

"A field. As far as you can see it's full of grasses as high as my shoulders. I don't know, maybe some of them are grain. There are patches of different colors. But there are no paths." Peeta said.

"I bet some of them are grain. I bet Thresh knows which ones, too." I said.

"Did you go in there?" Peeta asked.

"No. Nobody really wanted to track Thresh down in that grass. It has a sinister feeling to it. Every time I look at that field, all I can think of are hidden things. Snakes, and rabid animals, and quicksand." I said. "There could be anything in there."

"Maybe there is a bread bush in that field." Peeta joked. "Maybe that's why Thresh looks better fed now than when we started the Games."

"Either that or he's got very generous sponsors." I said. "I wonder what we'd have to do to get Haymitch to send us some bread."

Peeta raised his eyebrow at me before realization came to his face. Peeta seemed to be deep in thought for a while before he snapped back to reality. he reached out and took my hand in his.

"Well, he probably used up a lot of resources helping me knock you out." Peeta said mischievously.

"Yeah, about that." I said, entwining my fingers with his; now was time to be angry. "Don't try something like that again."

"Or what?" Peeta asked.

"Or . . . or . . ." I stammered, trying to think of a threat. "Just give me a minute."

"What's the problem?" Peeta said with a grin.

"The problem is we're both still alive. Which only reinforces the idea in your mind that you did the right thing." I said.

"I did do the right thing." Peeta said.

"No! Just don't, Peeta!" I said, my grip tightened as my anger seeped into my voice. "Don't die for me. You won't be doing me any favors. All right?"

Peeta seemed startled by my anger but seemed to recognize something. "Maybe I did it for myself, Katniss, did you ever think of that? Maybe you aren't the only one who . . . who worries about . . . what it would be like if. . ." Peeta started to fumble.

I could tell he wasn't good with words. as he tried to talk he seemed to realize something that brings tears to his eyes.

"If what, Peeta?" I asked softly.

Peeta looked like he wanted to same something, but not for the prying eyes of Panem.

"That's exactly the kind of topic Haymitch told me to steer clear of." Peeta said evasively.

"Then I'll just have to fill in the blanks myself." I said, before leaning down and kissed him.

This was the first kiss that we were both fully aware of. Neither of us hobbled by sickness or pain or simply unconscious. Our lips neither burned with fever or icy cold. This was the first kiss where I actually felt something special stirring from Peeta's lips; warm and curious. This was the first kiss that seemed to make Peeta want another. But he didn't get it. Well, I did cave in and gave him second kiss, but just a light one on the tip of his nose because I was a little distracted by the amazing kiss.

"I think your wound is bleeding again. Come on, lie down, it's bedtime anyway." I said.

Peeta's socks were dry enough to wear. Peeta made me put my jacket back on, which I was grateful for since I was half frozen. He insisted on taking the first watch, too, although neither of us thought it was likely anyone would come with this weather. But I wouldn't agree unless he was in the sleeping bag, too. I could see Peeta shivering so hard that it was pointless to object.

As we settled in next to each other, I pulled myself up onto Peeta so I was using Peeta's head as a pillow. Then I felt Peeta's arms wrap around me protectively even after he fell asleep. No one had held me like this ever. My father does when ever he comes in right before my mother started to beats me but not in this way; not in a romantic way. Soon I drifted to sleep. But they were all with my mother beating me the way she did when I gave Peeta the bread. But before she used her fists I felt someone's arms wrap around me. I thought, at first, it was my father. But when I looked up, I saw Peeta's heart warming smile directed to me. Before I could do or say anything I feel someone shaking my shoulder, arousing me. I look up to see Peeta with bags under his eyes.

"Tomorrow, when it's dry, I'll find us a place so high in the trees we can both sleep in peace." Peeta said as he drifted off.

As he slept, his grip didn't lighten up at all. It only tightened around me. But tomorrow was no better in terms of weather. The deluge continued as if the Gamemakers were intent on washing us all away. The thunder was so powerful it seemed to shake the cave. I was considered to head out anyway to scavenge for food, but Peeta told me in this storm it would be pointless. We wouldn't be able to see three feet in front of our faces and we'll only end up getting soaked to the bone for our troubles. I knew Peeta was right, but the emptiness in my stomach was becoming painful. The day dragged on into evening. There was no break in the weather.

Haymitch was our only hope, but nothing was forthcoming. Probably from lack of money, everything will cost an exorbitant amount. Peeta and I were starved, weak from injuries, trying not to reopen wounds. We were sitting huddled together wrapped in the sleeping bag trying to keep warm. The only thing exciting either of us had done was nap. The kiss last night was nice. I couldn't help but smile at the memory of it.

"Katniss." Peeta said lightly, pulling me out of my thoughts. "You said at the interview you'd had a crush on me forever. When did forever start?"

"Oh, let's see. I guess the first day of school. We were five. You had on a red plaid shirt and blue slacks. My father pointed you out when we were waiting to line up." I said as I recalled that memory.

"Your father? Why?" Peeta asked.

"He said, 'See that little boy? I wanted to marry his mother, but he fell in love with a coal miner.'" I said. Remembering those words my father said. When I was younger I didn't know how he felt as he said those words; until I saw how close Peeta and Gazle were.

"What? You're making that up!" Peeta exclaimed.

"No, true story." I said. "And I said, 'A coal miner? Why did she want a coal miner if she could've had you?' And he said, 'Because when he sang . . . even the birds stop to listen. Just like you, sunshine.'"

"That's true. They do. I mean, they did." Peeta said. It shocked me that my own reluctance to sing, that I said that to Peeta and to Panem. "It's true what your dad said about you. That day, in music assembly, the teacher asked who knew the valley song. Your hand shot right up in the air. She stood you up on a stool and had you sing it for us. And I swear, every bird outside the windows fell silent."

"Oh, please." I said, rolling my eyes.

"No, it happened." Peeta insisted.

"Sure. Anyway, right when my song ended, and I looked into your eyes, those brilant blue grey eyes and I knew, I was a goner. Then for the next eleven years, I tried to work up the nerve to talk to you."

"Without success." Peeta added.

"Without success. So, in a way, my name being drawn in the reaping was a real piece of luck." I said.

For a moment, Peeta seemed almost foolishly happy and then confused, before going deep in thought. "You have a . . . remarkable memory." Peeta said haltingly.

"I remember everything about you." I said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "You're the one who wasn't paying attention."

"I am now." Peeta said, getting my attention.

"Well, I don't have much competition here." I said.

Peeta swallowed hard before talking. "You don't have much competition anywhere." Peeta said.

That time, I was the one who leaned in. Our lips had just barely touched when the clunk outside made us jump. Peeta's bow came up, the arrow ready to fly, but there wasn't other sound. I got up and peered through the rocks. I gave a whoop when I saw a parachute. Before Peeta could stop me, I go out into the rain and start to hand him the silver parachute attached to a basket. I wiggled my way back inside the cave, smiling happily when I saw the food.

"I guess Haymitch finally got tired of watching us starve." I said as I looked at the feast.

There were fresh rolls, goat cheese, apples, and best of all, a tureen of that incredible lamb stew on wild rice. The very dish Peeta told Caesar Flickerman was the most impressive thing the Capitol had to offer.

"I guess so." Peeta said.

Every cell in my body told me to dig into the stew and cram it, handful by handful into my mouth. But Peeta's voice stopped me.

"We better take it slow on that stew. Remember the first night on the train? The rich food made me sick and I wasn't even starving then." Peeta said.

"You're right. And I could just inhale the whole thing!" I said regretfully.

But I didn't. We were quite sensible. We each had a roll, half an apple, and an egg-size serving of stew and rice. I made myself eat the stew in tiny spoonfuls, they even sent us silverware and plates, and savored each bite. When we finished, I stared longingly at the dish.

"I want more." I said.

"Me, too." Peeta said.

"Tell you what. We wait an hour, if it stays down, then we get another serving." I said.

"Agreed." Peeta said. "It's going to be a long hour."

"Maybe not that long." I said. "What was that you were saying just before the food arrived? Something about me . . . no competition . . . best thing that ever happened to you . . ."

"I don't remember that last part." Peeta said, waving it off.

"Oh, that's right. That's what I was thinking." I said. "Scoot over, I'm freezing."

Peeta scooted over for me in the sleeping bag. We leaned back against the cave wall, my head rested on his shoulder, his arms wrapped around me.

"So, since we were five, you never even noticed any other boys?" Peeta asked him.

"No, I noticed just about every boy, but none of them made a lasting impression but you." I said.

"I'm sure that would thrill your parents, you liking a boy from the Seam." Peeta said.

"Hardly. But I couldn't care less. Anyway, if we make it back, you won't be a boy from the Seam, you'll be a boy from the Victor's Village." I said.

That was right. If we won, we would each get a house in the part of town reserved for Hunger Games' victors. A disturbing thought seemed to come to Peeta. "But then, our only neighbor will be Haymitch!" Peeta said.

"Ah, that'll be nice." I said as Peeta tightened his arms around me. "You and me and Haymitch. Very cozy. Picnics, birthdays, long winter nights around the fire retelling old Hunger Games' tales."

"I told you, he hates me!" Peeta said, but he still laughed.

"Only sometimes. When he's sober, I've never heard him say one negative thing about you." I said.

"He's never sober!" Peeta protested.

"That's right. Who am I thinking of? Oh, I know. It's Cinna who likes you. But that's mainly because you didn't try to run when he set you on fire." I said. "On the other hand, Haymitch . . . well, if I were you, I'd avoid Haymitch completely. He hates you."

"I thought you said I was his favorite." Peeta said.

"He hates me more." I said. "I don't think people in general are his sort of thing."

I knew the audience would enjoy us having fun at Haymitch's expense. He had been around so long, he was practically an old friend to some of them. And after his head-dive off the stage at the reaping, everybody knew him. By now, they would have had to dragged him out of the control room for interviews about us. There wasn't any telling what kind of lies he would make up. He was at something of a disadvantage because most mentors have a partner, another victor to help them where as Haymitch had to be ready to go into action at any moment. Kind of like me when I was alone with only the Career's in the arena. I wondered how Haymitch was holding up, with the drinking, the attention, and the stress to keep us alive.

"How do you think he did it?" Peeta asked all of a sudden.

"Who? Did what?" I asked confused.

"Haymitch. How do you think he won the Games?" Peeta said.

I considered this quite a while before I answered. Haymitch was sturdily built, but wasn't physical wonder like Cato or Thresh. He wasn't particularly handsome. Not in the way that caused sponsors to rain gifts on you. And he was surly; it was hard to imagine anyone who would team up with him. There was only one way Haymitch could've won.

"He outsmarted the others." I said.

It was time to eat more food. While Peeta dishing up two more small servings of lamb stew and rice, we hear the anthem begin to play. I pressed my eyes against a crack in the rocks to watch the sky.

"There won't be anything to see tonight." Peeta said, far more interested in the stew than the sky. "Nothing's happened or we would've heard a cannon."

"Wonder how Foxface is doing." I said out loud.

"Oh, she's fine." Peeta said peevishly. "Probably be easier to catch Cato or Thresh than her."

"Maybe they'll catch each other and we can just go home." I said, skeptically. "But we better be extra careful about the watches. I dozed off a few times."

"Me, too." Peeta admitted. "But not tonight."

We finished our food in silence. I offered to take the first watch and Peeta agreed. Peeta burrowed down in the sleeping bag next to me, pulling his hood up over his face to hide it from the cameras. He came back out, only to pull me into the sleeping bag so I was laying down on his chest. Then he put his hood back over his head. I guessed he needed a moment of privacy to do something he could without being seen. But soon Peeta had fallen asleep.

As he slept, I got hungry. I grabbed a roll and slit it in half and spread it with some goat cheese. After a few hours I woke him up; holding out half a roll spread with goat chess topped with an apple slices.

"Don't be mad." I said, guiltily. "I had to eat again. Here's your half."

"Oh, good." Peeta said, immediately taking a huge bite. "Mm."

"We make a goat cheese and apple tart at the bakery." I said, blushing slightly.

"Bet that's expensive." Peeta said.

"Too expensive for my family to eat. Unless it's gone very stale. Of course, practically everything we eat is stale." I said, crawling back into the sleeping bag and snuggled closely to Peeta.

In less than a minute, I was in the peacefulness of dreams. And once again, my dream was of Peeta and i. how we fell in love, got married, and grew old together. I didn't know how long I was asleep until I feel Peeta shaking my shoulder. I opened my eyes sleepily and stretched. Once my eyes focused, the only thing I could see was Peeta looking down on me. I pulled him down lightly for a long kiss.

"We're wasting hunting time." Peeta said when he finally broke away.

"I wouldn't call it wasting." I said says as I stretched and sat up. "So do we hunt on empty stomachs to give us an edge?"

"Not us." Peeta said. "We stuff ourselves to give us staying power."

"Count me in." I said. But I was surprised when Peeta divided the rest of the stew and rice and hand the plate to me. "All this?"

"We'll earn it back today." Peeta and we both plow into our plates. Even cold, it was one of the best things I had ever tasted. Peeta abandoned his fork and scraped up the last dabs of gravy with his fingers. "I can feel Effie Trinket shuddering at my manners."

"Hey, Effie, watch this!" I said. I tossed my fork over my shoulder and literally licked my plate clean with my tongue making loud, satisfied sounds. Then I blew a kiss out to her in general and called, "We miss you, Effie!"

Peeta covered my mouth with his hand, but was laughing. "Stop! Cato could be right outside our cave."

I grabbed my hand away. "What do I care? I've got you to protect me now." I said smiling at him before leaning in to kiss him.

"Come on." Peeta said in exasperation as he pulled himself from me but not before I got one more kiss.

Once we were packed up and standing outside our cave, our mood shifted to serious. It was as though for the last few days, sheltered by the rocks and the rain and we were given a respite, a holiday of sorts. Now, although the day was sunny and warm, we both sensed we were really back in the Games. Peeta handed his knife to me, since my weapons I had were long gone. I slipped it into my belt. Peeta had seven arrows left out of the twenty-five they had when the Games began.

With all the rain, the stream had overrun its bank by several feet on either side. We stopped there to replenish our water. Peeta checked the snares he must have set days ago, but came up empty. Not surprise with the weather. Besides, we hadn't seen many animals or signs of them in this area.

"If we want food, we better head back up to my old hunting grounds." Peeta said.

"Your call; just tell me what you need me to do." I said.

"Keep an eye out." Peeta said. "Stay on the rocks as much as possible, no sense in leaving him tracks to follow. And listen for both of us."

We walked for a long time, before coming to a small clearing. It was clear that I didn't know anything about hunting. Instead, Peeta showed me some roots to dig. We needed food, no question. One apple, two rolls, and a blob of cheese the size of a plum wouldn't last long. Peeta was just going to be a short distance away and hope Cato was a far way from us. Peeta taught me a bird whistle to signal that we would use to communicate that we were all right. Fortunately, I'm good at this. Peeta left me the backpacks, before he headed off.

I wandered down stream until I came across a patch of black berries. I knelt down and started to pick them. Once I had a hand full of the black berries, I brought them back to Peeta and mine meeting place and placed them on my jacket. I wandered back to where I saw the berries and got another hand full. As I walked back I heard Peeta screaming for me and I started to run before I collided with someone. When my vision focused I saw it was Peeta.

"You okay?" I asked a little scared.

"I heard the cannon! I just though. . ." Peeta said tears in his eyes as his hand hovered around my body, as if he was afraid to touch me in fear I would all of a sudden fall to pieces if he did. Then he looked down and saw the berries I had been collecting. "That's nightlock, Katniss!" Peeta shouted angrily with a hint of fear as he knocked the berries out of my hand. "You'd be dead in a minute!"

"I'm sorry. I didn't know." I said trying to calm him down.

"You scared me to death. Damn you!" Peeta said. The tears had now started to run down his face as he pulled me into a bone crushing hug. Then I feel his whole body start to shake with sobs.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I said as I returned his embrace.

I nuzzled my head into his neck, and rubbed circles in his back. It took a few minutes for Peeta to calm down and wipe his tears. All the while I mumbled southing words into his ear. When Peeta pulled away he was still a little shaky but calm enough. Then we saw a path through the trees that led to where Foxface lay; dead.

"I never even knew she was following me." I said stunned as I looked down at her. She had a purple streak from her lip down her cheek.

"She was clever." Peeta said blankly.

"Too clever." I added. Then I saw Peeta picking up the berries in her hands. "What are you doing?"

"Maybe Cato likes berries too." Peeta said smirking.

Peeta didn't get game before the cannon went off and he came running after me. We were both exhausted by the hike but we kept walking in search of food. Peeta had his bow loaded. I was guessing for Cato and some game as we walked. The sun all of a sudden set and the moon and stars were high in the sky. '_Weird_.' I thought as we continued to walk. I started to wonder what the Gamemakers had in mind. Peeta had the same look on his face.

"What time is it?" I asked, looking around.

"A little after noon." Peeta said as he loaded his bow.

"Why is it getting so dark?" I asked drawing my knife.

"They must be in a hurry to end it." Peeta said, looking around.

Just then there was a loud scream then the cannon sounded. When I looked up I saw Thresh's picture in the sky. Peeta and I exchanged a look before we continued to walk, making sure we were quieter. All of a sudden there was a rustling in a bush a head. Peeta drew his bow pointing at the bush as I inched closer. The closer I got the lower Peeta put his bow. When I was a few yards from the bush, something jumped out and talked me to the ground, causing me to scream in fear.

I was thankful that Peeta had the bow loaded, because the thing on top of me was shot off. I didn't have time to get a good look at the thing before Peeta yanked me to my feet and started running dragging me behind until I could mange to run on my own. Peeta was fast but I managed to keep pace with his as we sprinted away from the creatures. I could hear growling and howling behind us, causing Peeta and I to run faster. As we broke through the forest barricade made of trees, I saw the one place would be safe from the creatures; the Cornucopia. Once we got there I looked over to see the creatures coming and I saw what they really were.

Muttations. No question about it. I had never seen these mutts, but they were no natural-born animal. They resembled huge wolves, but what wolf landed and then balanced easily on its hind legs? What wolf waved the rest of the pack forward with its front paw as though it had a wrist? There claws were four inches and razor sharp. Those I could see at a distance. Up close, I was sure they were more menacing attributes will be revealed.

"Climb!" Peeta yelled at me.

Peeta held his hands so he could lift me up on to the Cornucopia. Once I was on top, I reach out and pull Peeta onto the Cornucopia just as the mutts reach the Cornucopia base. The mutts began to assemble. As they joined together, they raised up again to stand easily on their back legs, giving them an eerily human quality. Each had a thick coat, some with fur that was straight and sleek, others curly, and the colors vary from jet black to what I could only describe as blond. There was something else about them; something that made the hair rise up on the back of my neck. But I could put my finger on it. That was until one looked at me right in the eye. One with big brown eyes that resembled so much like Rue's. Rue. . . That was when it clicked; it was Rue. A scream ripped through my throat at my realization. Peeta looked at me like I was mentally crazy.

"Katniss what's wrong?" Peeta asked.

"It's her; Rue." I said.

A look of pain came across his face, but he didn't try to jump off. I had a moment of relief that we were away from them high above there reach. All of a sudden I was yanked away from Peeta's side. I thought it was the mutts when I felt a stabbing pain in my leg, but soon felt Cato's arm wrapped around my neck. Peeta turned around drawing his bow and was about to let the arrow fly when he saw I was in a headlock. I started to claw at Cato's hands as my source of air had been cut off. Though, my clawing did little to nothing to him. peeta aimed his last of his two arrows at Cato's head.

"Go on, shoot; and we both go down." Cato said his arms tightening around my neck. "I'm dead anyway! I always was, right? I didn't know that until now. Isn't that what they want, huh?" Cato shouted at the sky, before he turned back to Peeta.

He was right about both of us going down if Peeta shot. If he took him out and he would fall to the mutts and drag me down with him. Peeta looked hesitant to shoot. Peeta couldn't shoot Cato without killing me as well, too. Cato couldn't kill me without the guarantee of an arrow in his brain. We stood there like statues, both of us seeking a way out. Peeta muscles strained tightly, they looked like they could snap at any moment. My vision started to become blurry. The mutts had gone silent and the only thing I could hear was our heavy breathing. I nodded my head at Peete; trying to tell him it was okay to shoot.

"No! I can still do this." Cato said, his head going to my head; ready to snap my neck. "I can still do this. One more kill. It's the only thing I know how to do. Bring pride to my district. Not that it matters."

Fear creped into my body as I started to choke. If Peeta didn't do something quick, he would be the last tribute left. I was sure Cato had this all worked out, as his stance became relaxed. In my last-ditch effort, I brought my blood soaked finger up to Cato's hand. Instead of wrestling my was free, I brought it to his hand, and drew an X on the back of Cato's hand. Cato must have realized what it meant because his started to let go. But he was one second too late because, by that time, Peeta arrow had pierced Cato's hand. He cried out and reflexively released me. I took his moment of weakness to slam back against him, sending him over the edge. I could feel myself starting to fall over the edge too; until I felt a hand wrap around my wrist and pull me onto the Cornucopia and into his arms.

We heard Cato hit ground; the air left his body on impact and then the mutts attack him. Peeta and I held on to each other, waiting for the cannon, waiting for the competition to finish, waiting to finally be released. But it didn't happen, not yet; because that was the climax of the Hunger Games, and the audience expects a show. I didn't watch, but I could hear the snarls, the growls, the howls of pain from both human and beast as Cato took on the mutt pack. I didn't understand how he could be surviving until I remembered the body armor protected him from his ankle to neck. I realized that this was going to be a long night.

Cato must have had a knife or sword or something as well. He must have hidden in his clothes; because on occasion there was the death scream of a mutt or the sound of metal on metal as the blade collided with the golden horn. The combat moved around the side of the Cornucopia, and I knew Cato had been attempting the one maneuver that could save his life; to make his way back around to the tail of the horn and rejoin us. But in the end, despite his strength and skill, he was overpowered.

I didn't know how long it had been, maybe an hour or so, when Cato fell to the ground and we heard the mutts dragging him back into the Cornucopia. Now they would finish him off, I hoped. But there was still no cannon. Night fell and the anthem played; but there's no picture of Cato in the sky, only the faint moans coming through the metal beneath us. The icy air blew across the plain reminded me that the Games weren't over and may not be for who knows how long.

There was still no guarantee of victory. Peeta turned me and discovered my leg was bleeding badly. All our supplies, our packs, remained in the cave. We didn't have any bandages, nothing to staunch the flow of blood from my calf. Peeta was shaking in the biting wind when he took off his jacket, took off his shirt and zipped his jacket back on quickly. I could feel as blood left my body. The warm, slippery blood ran down my leg and fell onto the Cornucopia. It was clear a bandage wouldn't be enough. Peeta cut free a sleeve from his shirt, wrapped it twice around my leg just under my knee, and tied a half knot.

Peeta took his last arrow and inserted it into the knot, twisting it as tightly as he could. I knew I may have lost a leg but Peeta seemed more determined on saving my life. Peeta bandaged the wound in the rest of his shirt before lying down. That's when I realize my jacket had been ripped off as Cato tried to pull me down with him. my hole body was shacking from the lack of protection. Peeta was lying down against the horn of the Cornucopia. When he looked over, concern flashed onto his face.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

"I'll be fine." I lied.

Peeta didn't buy it for a second. He unzipped his jacket and pressed against him as he fastened it around me. "Thanks." I mumbled into his chest.

It was a bit warmer, sharing our body heat inside his jackets; but the night was young. The temperature would continue to drop. Even now I could feel the Cornucopia, which had burned when I first climbed it, slowly start to turn to ice.

"Don't go to sleep." Peeta said panicked.

"Cato may win this thing yet." I whispered.

"Don't you believe it." Peeta said, but he was shaking harder than I was.

The next hours were the worst in my life, which if you thought about it, was saying something. The cold would have been torture enough, but the real nightmare was listening to Cato's screaming, moaning, begging, and finally just whimpering as the mutts worked away at him. After a very short time, I didn't care who he was or what he had done. All I wanted was for Cato's suffering to end.

"Why don't they just kill him?" Peeta asked.

"You know why." I said and felt Peeta's arm tighten around me.

No viewer could have turned away from the show now. From the Gamemakers' point of view, this was the final word in entertainment. It went on and on and on and eventually completely consumed my mind, blocking out any happy memory and hopes of tomorrow. Erased everything but the present, which I began to believe would never change. There would never be anything but cold and fear and the agonized sounds of the boy dying in the horn.

I started to doze off here and there, but each time I find Peeta yelling my name louder and louder. I was fighting it, more for him than for myself. It was hard because unconsciousness would be the only form of escape. But Peeta was there to keep me from going. The only indication of the passage of time laid in the heavens; the subtle shift of the moon. So I started to point them out to Peeta, trying to get his mind away from the mutts and Cato, and give him a piece of hope. Then I saw the sun rising and told Peeta.

Peeta's eyes opened and looked up to see that the stars were fading in the pale light of dawn. When his eyes landed on me, his face paled. I could tell I looked a lot worse. But still, no cannon had fired. I got out of Peeta's jacket and pressed my ear against the horn. I could just make out Cato's whimpers.

"I think he's closer now. Peeta, can you shoot him?" I asked.

"My last arrow's in your tourniquet." Peeta said.

"Make it count." I said.

Peeta rubbed his hands together, trying to get circulation back in them, before he carefully took out his arrow. Peeta crawled to the lip of the Cornucopia and hung over the edge. Instinctively, I reach out and grip his arm for support. It seemed to take Peeta a few moments to find Cato in the dim light. From where I was I, once I found Cato I could see why it was so hard. There was so much blood on the ground and on him. Then the raw hunk of meat that used to be Cato made a sound, and Peeta and I knew where his mouth is.

"Please. . ." I thought was his words.

I felt a pang of pity for him as I heard Peeta's arrow went flying into what I thought was his skull. I pulled Peeta back up, Peeta still held his bow with the quiver empty.

"Did you get him?" I whispered. The cannon fired in answer. "Then we won, Peeta." I said, my voice hollow.

"Hurray for us." I get out, but there wasn't any joy of victory in my voice.

A hole opened in the plain and as if on cue, the mutts that remained bound into it, and disappeared as the earth closes above them. We waited, for the hovercraft to take Cato's remains, for the trumpets of victory that should follow, but nothing happened.

"Hey!" Peeta shouted to the sky. "What's going on?" The only response was the chatter birds he woke up.

"Maybe it's the body. Maybe we have to move away from it." I said.

I didn't know if that was true. Did they tributes in the past had to distance themselves from the dead tribute on the final kill? My brain was too muddled to be sure, but what else could be the reason for the delay? We inched down to the tail of the horn and Peeta was the first that fell to the ground. Then I went off the edge and Peeta caught me.

Peeta carried me over to the lake and laid me down by the bake. Peeta scooped up a handful of the cold water and brought it to my lips and then to his lips. A mockingjay gave the long, low whistle, and tears of relief filled my eyes as the hovercraft appears and took Cato's body away. Now they would take us. Now we could go home. But again there wasn't a response.

"What are they waiting for?" I asked weakly. Between the loss of the tourniquet and the effort it took to get to the lake, my wound had opened up again.

"I don't know." Peeta said.

Whatever the holdup was, Peeta seemed like he was loosing it. He got up to find a stick. When it seemed like he did, he was about to pick it up Claudius Templesmith's voice booms into the arena.

"Attention. Attention, tributes. There's been a slight rule change. The previous revision allowing for two victories from the same district has been revoked. Only one victor may be crowned." he said. " Good luck. And may the odds be ever in your favor."

There was a small burst of static and then nothing more. I stared at Peeta in disbelief as the truth sunk in. They had never intended to let us both live. This had all been devised by the Gamemakers to guarantee the most dramatic showdown in history. And like a fool, I bought into it.

"If you think about it, it's not that surprising." I said softly.

I painfully made it to my feet then started to walk towards him as I pulled the knife from my belt. Before I could think, Peeta's bow was loaded with an arrow pointed straight at my heart. I raised an eyebrow at him as I chucked my knife into the lake. The knife hit the lake with a splash. At the sound, Peeta dropped his weapon and backed away from it. Peeta's face was flushed and looked ashamed.

"No." I said. "Do it."

I picked up his bow as limped over to him and I thrust it into his hands. "I can't." Peeta said. "I won't."

"Do it. Before they send those mutts back or something. I don't want to die like Cato." I said.

"Then you shoot me." Peeta said furiously, shoving the weapons back at me. "You shoot me and go home and live with it!"

"You know I can't." I said, discarding the weapons. "But fine, I'll go first anyway."

I leaned down and rip the bandage off my leg, eliminating the final barrier between my blood and the earth; instantly I feel dizzy.

"No, you can't kill yourself." Peeta said. He was on my knees, desperately plastering the bandage back onto my wound.

"Peeta." I said. "It's what I want."

"You're not leaving me here alone." Peeta said.

"Listen." I said pulling him to his feet. "We both know they have to have a victor. It can only be one of us. Please, take it; for me."

And I started to talk about how I loved him, what life would be like without him. but both of us knew without a victor, the whole thing would blow up in the Gamemakers' faces. They would have failed the Capitol; might possibly even be executed, slowly and painfully while the cameras broadcast it to every screen in the country. When I was done, I looked at Peeta and saw he was thinking something over. Then I saw Peeta's fingers fumbled with the pouch on his belt, freeing it. It was the same pouch with the nightlock. Was he that crazy? Had he really lost his mind?

"No, I won't let you." I said as I clamp my hands around his wrist.

"Trust me." Peeta whispered. I looked at him in confusion. "Trust me."

Then I got it. "Together?" I asked, still confused.

"Together." Peeta said. I let go of Peeta's wrist and hold out my hand out for a spoonful of berries. Then he filled his own. "On the count of three?"

"Okay." I said, still a little shaky.

"One." I said, running my hand down Peeta's cheek. Maybe Peeta was wrong.

"Two." Peeta said, running his fingers through a strand of my hair. Maybe they didn't care if we both died.

I leaned up and kissed him, just in case something went wrong. "Three."

It was too late to change our mind. Both of us spread out our fingers, and the dark berries glisten in the sun. I lifted my hand to my mouth, and took one last look at the world. The berries have just passed my lips when the trumpets began to blare.

The frantic voice of Claudius Templesmith shouted above us. "Stop! Stop! Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to present the victors of the Seventy-fourth annual Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark! I give you the tributes of District Twelve!"

The berries fell out of my mouth, as my hands come up and wipe my tongue with the end of my shirt to make sure all the juice was gone. Peeta pulled me to the lake where we both gargled our mouths with water before collapsing into his arms.

"You didn't swallow any?" Peeta asked.

I shook my head. "You?" I asked worried.

"Guess I'd be dead by now if I did." Peeta said.

I heard the roar of the crowd in the Capitol that they're playing live over the speakers. Then the hovercraft materialized overhead and tow ladders dropped down. Peeta didn't let go of me, he kept one arm wrapped around my waist. He led me over to the ladder, helping me place my hand and foot onto the ladder. The electric current froze us in place, and this time I was glad because I could barely stand and with our muscles were immobile so nothing was preventing the blood from draining my leg. We weren't half way up when everything became fuzzy. Then all of a sudden everything went black.

When I woke up, I was afraid to move at first. I tried to think where I could be as I starred up at a ceiling that seemed to glow with a soft yellow light, helping to see that I was in a room containing only my bed. There were no doors, no windows that were visible, just walls. The air smelled of something sharp and antiseptic. My right arm had several tubes that extend into the wall behind me. I was completely naked, but the bedclothes were soothing against my skin. I tentatively lifted my left hand above the cover to find it not only scrubbed clean, the nails were filed in perfect ovals, and the scars from the burns were less prominent. I touched my cheek, my lips, and was just running my fingers through my silken hair when I froze. Apprehensively, I wiggled my right leg, before lifting the bedclothes to reveal an ugly scar running up the side of my right leg.

It wasn't an illusion; I still had my leg, my real leg. I let out a loud sigh of relief. Then I felt a few tears running down my face; I was crying tears of joy. Whipping them away, I tried to sit up, but a shot of pain shoots up my spine causing me to fall back down. A portion of the wall all of a sudden slide open and in came the Avox boy that had been serving me from the start of the Games, who couldn't be more then sixteen-years old, carrying a tray. The sight of him calmed me a little before I feel a pang of pity hits me at the sight of his young age. I wanted to ask him millions of questions, but I was afraid any familiarity would cause him harm, remembering he couldn't talk. Obviously I was being closely monitored from how fast he came into the room and the concerned look on his face. He set the tray across my thighs and pressed something that raised me to a sitting position. While he adjusted my pillows, I risked one question. I asked it out loud, as clearly as my rusty voice would allow, so nothing would seem secretive.

"Is Peeta okay?" I asked concerned.

He gave me a slight nod as she slipped a spoon into my hand, I felt a pressure of friendship. Peeta had made it. Of course, he did. With all his years in the forest its no wonder he survive this and with all their expensive equipment , I wasn't sure until now. As the Avox boy left, the door closed noiselessly after him and I turned hungrily to the tray. There was a bowl of clear broth, a small serving of applesauce, and a glass of water.'_That's it?_' I thought grouchily. Shouldn't my homecoming dinner have been little more spectacular? But I found it an effort to finish the spare meal before me.

My stomach seemed like it had shrunk to the size of a chestnut, and I started to wonder how long I had been out. I hadn't had any trouble eating a fairly sizable breakfast the last morning in the was usually a lag of a few days between the end of the competition and the presentation of the victor so that they can put the starved, wounded, mess of a person back together , Cinna and Portia would be creating our wardrobes for the public and Effie would be arranging the banquet for our sponsors, reviewing the questions for our final interviews. Back home, District 12 was probably in chaos as they tried to organize the homecoming celebrations for Peeta and I, since the last one was close to thirty years ago.

Home! My father and brothers! Even the thought of seeing my mother again made me smile. Soon I would be home! I wanted to get out of the hospital bed, to see Peeta and Cinna, to find out more about what's been going on. And why couldn't I? I felt fine; I still had both of my as I started to work my way out of the bed, I felt a cold liquid seep into my vein from one of the tubes and almost immediately lost consciousness. That had happened on and off for an indeterminate amount of time. I would wake up, eat whatever they gave me, and then even though I wouldn't try to get out of the stupid bed, I would be knocked out again.I seemed to be in a strange, continual twilight and there were only a few things register.

The Avox boy hadn't returned since the feeding, my scars had disappearing, and did I imagine it? Or had my food portions gotten bigger. Then finally, the time had come when I woke up to find that there were nothing plugged into my right arm. I was able to sit up without any pain and no worry of being drugged up again. I started to sit up but was stopped from the shock of seeing my hand; the skin was at its perfection, smooth and glowing. Not only were the scars from the arena gone, but the marks I had gotten from my mother over years had vanished without a forehead felt like satin, and when I tried to find the burns on my chest, I couldn't find anything.

I slipped my legs out of bed, nervous about how my bad leg would bear my weight, only to find that they were strong and steady. I walked around to the end of the bed to find an outfit that made me flinched was what all of the tributes wore in the arena. I stared at it as if it had teeth until I remembered that, of course, that was what I would wear to greet my team. I got dressed in less than a minute, and fidgeting in front of the wall where I knew there was a door even if I couldn't see it, when suddenly it slid open.I stepped into a wide, deserted hall that appeared to have no other doors in it; b**ut it must a**nd behind one of them had to be that I was conscious and moving, I started to grow more and more anxious about him. He must be all right or the Avox boy wouldn't have said so. But I needed to see him for myself.

"Peeta!" I called out, since there was no one to ask. I heard my name in response, but it wasn't his voice. It was a voice that provoked first irritation and then eagerness. Effie.

I turned to see all of them as they waited in a big chamber at the end of the hall; Effie and feet took off without hesitation. Maybe a victor should have showed more restraint, more superiority, especially when she knew that would be on tape, but I didn't care. I ran for them and launched myself into Cinna's arms first, then Effie' was somewhat teary and kept patting my hair and talking about how she told everyone we were pearls as I hugged her. When I pulled away, I noticed Portia was absent and get a bad feeling.

"Where's Portia and Haymitch? Are they with Peeta? He is all right, isn't he? I mean, he's alive?" I blurted out, the words coming out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"He's fine. Only they want to do your reunion live on air at the ceremony." Effie said, exasperated.

"Oh. That's all." I said. The awful thoughts of Peeta dead had passed again. "I guess I'd want to see that myself."

"Go on with Cinna. He has to get you ready." Effie said ushering me in Cinna's directions.

It was a relief to be alone with Cinna, to feel his protective arm around my shoulder as he guided me away from the cameras, down a few passages ways and to an elevator that lead to the lobby of the Training Center. The hospital must have been far underground, even beneath the gym where the tributes practiced tying knots and throwing windows of the lobby were darkened, and a handful of guards stood on duty. No one else was there to see us cross to the tribute elevator. Our footsteps echoed in the emptiness. And when we rode up to the twelfth floor, the faces of all the tributes who would never return flash across my mind and there was a heavy, tight place in my chest.

When the elevator doors opened, Venia, Flavius, and Octavia engulfed me, talking so quickly and ecstatically I couldn't make out their sentiment was clear though. They were truly thrilled to see me and I was happy to see them, too, although not like I was to see was more in the way one might be glad to see an affectionate trio of pets at the end of a particularly difficult day. They swept me into the dining room and I got a real meal, roast beef and peas and soft rolls, although my portion was still being strictly controlled. When I asked for seconds, I was refused.

"No, no, no. They don't want it all coming back up on the stage." Octavia said, but she secretly slipped me an extra roll under the table to let me know she was on my side.

We go back to my room; Cinna disappeared for a while as the prep team got me ready. "Oh, they did a full body polish on you." Flavius said enviously. "Not a flaw left on your skin."

But when I looked at my naked body in the mirror, all I could see was how skinny I had become.I mean, I was sure I was worse when I came out of the arena, but I could easily count my ribs. They took care of the getting the shower ready for me, and they got right to work on my hair, nails, and makeup when I was chatted so continuously that I could barely reply, which was good, since I didn't feel very talkative. It was funny, because even though they were rattling on about the Games, it was all about where they were or what they were doing or how they felt when a specific event occurred.

"I was still in bed!"

"I had just had my eyebrows dyed!"

"I swear I nearly fainted!"

Everything was about them, not the dying boys and girls in the arena. We didn't wallow around in the Games that way in District 12. We gritted our teeth and watch because we had to and try to get back to business as soon as possible when they were keep from hating the prep team, I effectively tuned out most of what they were saying. Cinna came in with what appeared to be an unassuming yellow dress across his arms.

"Have you and Portia given up the whole 'guy on fire' thing?" I asked.

"You tell me." Cinna said as he slipped the dress over my head. I immediately noticed the padding over my breasts that added adding curves that hunger has stolen from my body. My hands go to my chest and I frown, confused.

"I know." Cinna said before I could object. "But the Gamemakers wanted to alter you surgically. Haymitch had a huge fight with them over it. This was the compromise."

He stopped me before I could look at my reflection. "Wait, don't forget the shoes." Cinna said.

Venia helped me into a pair of flat leather sandals before I turned to the mirror. I could tell they were still doing the whole 'boy on fire'. The sheer fabric softly glowed. Even the slight movement in the air sent a ripple up my body. By comparison, the chariot costume seemed garish, the interview dress too contrived. In this dress, I gave the illusion that I was wearing candlelight.

"What do you think?" Cinna asked.

"I think it's the best yet." I said smiling.

When I managed to pull my eyes away from the flickering fabric, I was in for something of a shock. My hair was loose, held back by a simple hair band. The makeup rounded and filled out the sharp angles of my face. A clear coat of polish was on my nails. The sleeveless dress was gathered at my ribs, not my waist, largely eliminated any help the padding would have given my figure.

The hem fell just to my knees. Without heels, you could see my true stature. I looked, very simply, like a girl, a young one; fourteen at the most. Innocent. Harmless. It must have been a miracle for Cinna and Portia to come up with this outfit for a person who had just won the Games. This was a very calculated look, nothing Cinna designed was arbitrary.

"It's wonderful Cinna." I said smiling.

Relief seemed to flitter across Cinna's eyes. "I'm glad you like it." Cinna said. "Come on, it's almost show time."

Another reminder that the Games weren't quite finished. We took the elevator to the level where we trained. It was customary for the victor and his or her prep team to rise from beneath the stage. First the prep team, followed by the escort, the stylist, the mentor, and finally the victor. Only this year, with two victors who share both an escort and a mentor, the whole thing had to be rethought. I found myself in a poorly lit area under the stage.

A brand-new metal plate had been installed to transport me upward. You could still see small piles of sawdust, smell fresh and the prep team peel off to change into their own costumes and took their positions, leaving me the gloom, I saw a makeshift wall about ten yards away and assumed Peeta was behind it. The rumbling of the crowd above was loud, so I didn't notice Effie until he touched my shoulder. I sprang away, startled, still half in the arena, you could say.

"Easy, just me. Let's have a look at you." Effie said. I held out my arms and turned once. "You look great."

"Thanks." I said.

Effie gave me a quick hug. "Peeta's excited to see you." She whispered in my ear before going to her spot before I could say anything.

I tugged on my skirt, starting to get anxious and nervous as I tried to will time to go faster I wanted to see Peeta badly, I wanted to see for myself that he was alive and breathing. I started to breathe heavily when the anthem all of a sudden boomed in my ears before I heard Caesar Flickerman greet the audience. I rushed to my platform happy to escape this gloomy place underground. The crowd broke out into applause as the prep teams were presented. I imagined Flavius, Venia, and Octavia bouncing around and taking ridiculous, bobbing bows. Then Effie was introduced. How long she had waited for this moment. I hoped she was able to enjoy it. Portia and Cinna received huge cheers, of course, they had been brilliant and dazzling debut. I started to shake again in anticipation as I felt the plate start to lift me up to the stage.

Blinding lights is all I could see for a second as the deafening roar rattled the metal under my feet. Then there was Peeta just a few yards away. He looked so clean and healthy and handsome, I could hardly recognize him. But his smile was the same, whether in the arena or in the Capitol and when I saw it, I took about three steps before I flung myself into his arms. He staggered back in surprise before I felt his arms wrap around me.

We just stood there clinging to each other while the audience goes insane. When I couldn't stand it anymore, I pulled away a little before crashing my lips to his. After about ten minutes of us just kissing, Caesar Flickerman tapped Peeta on the shoulder so we could continue the show. Peeta just pushed him aside without even glancing at him. The audience went crazy. I knew Peeta was playing the crowd exactly right. Finally, Haymitch walked up and yanked us before giving us a good-natured shove toward the victor's chair.

Usually, it was a single, ornate chair from which the winning tribute watched a film of the highlights of the Games, but since there was two of us; the Gamemakers had provided a plush red velvet couch. A small one, my father would call it a love seat, I believe. I sat so close to Peeta that I was practically on his lap. Before I could object, Peeta pulled me onto his lap and wrapped both arms around my waist. I rested my head against his shoulder. I felt like I was back in the cave, curled up against him, trying to keep warm. His shirt was made of the same yellow material as my dress, but Portia's put him in long black pants. No sandals, either, but a pair of sturdy black boots he kept solidly planted on the stage.

Caesar Flickerman made a few more jokes, and then it was time for the would last exactly three hours and was required viewing for all of Panem. As the lights dim and the seal appeared on the screen. That was when I realized I was unprepared for that.I didn't want to watch my twenty-two fellow tributes die again. I saw enough of them die the first heart started to pound hard against in my ribs and I got a strong impulse to had the other victors faced this alone? During the highlights, they periodically show the winner's reaction up on a box in the corner of the screen. I thought back to earlier years; some were triumphant, pumping their fists in the air, beating their chests most just seemed stunned.

All I know was that the only thing that kept me on the stupid love seat was Peeta, his arm around my waist, his other hand claimed by both of course, the previous victors didn't have the Capitol looking for a way to destroy them. To condense several weeks into three hours is quite a feat, especially when you consider how many cameras were going at once. Whoever puts together the highlights has to choose what sort of story to tell. This year, for the first time, they would be telling a love story. I knew Peeta and I won, but a disproportionate amount of time was spent on us, right from the beginning.I was glad though, because it meant we won't have to linger over the deaths. The first half hour or so focused on the pre-arena events, the reaping, and the chariot ride through the Capitol, our training scores, and our interviews. There was this sort of upbeat soundtrack that played under it that made it twice as awful because, of course, almost everyone on-screen was dead.

Once we were in the arena, there was detailed coverage of the bloodbath and then the filmmakers basically alternated between shots of tributes being killed and shots of us. Mostly of me really, there; of how he misled the Careers about Peeta, stayed awake the entire night under the tracker jacker tree, fought Cato to let him escape and even while he lay in that mud bank, I had whispered his name in my sleep. Then they show the little girl Rue. They played her death in full, the spearing, Peeta failed attempt at rescuing her, his arrow through the boy from District 1's throat, Rue drawing her last breath in his arms. And the song. He sang the song that he sang to me to get me to fall asleep in the cave. I felt a tear roll down my face.

Things picked up when they announced two tributes from the same district can live and Peeta shout out my name and then clap my hands over his mouth. They show him finding me, nursing me back to health, going to the feast for the medicine, and being very free with his , I could see the mutts and Cato's death are as gruesome as ever. And then comes the moment with the berries. I could hear the audience hushing one another, not wanting to miss anything. But it doesn't end with the announcement if us both being crowned victors. It ends right when the doors closed on the hover craft and fall to the ground, unconscious.

Peeta was still gripping my waist tightly that when they take him away my jacket tears, leaving a fistful of black fabric that he clung to. Doctors in sterile white, masked and gloved, already prepped to operate, go into action. I was pale and still on the silver operating table, tubes and wires springing out of me every which way, and for a moment I forget we were out of the Games and it seemed Peeta saw the doctors as just one more threat, one more pack of mutts designed to kill me. I watch as Peeta lunge for me, but was caught and thrust back into another room, and a glass door seals between us. He pounded on the glass, screaming at the top of his lungs.

The anthem played again and we rise as President Snow himself took the stage followed by a little girl carrying a cushion that held the crown. There was just one crown, though, and you could hear the crowd's confusion, whose head will he place it on, until President Snow gave it a twist and it separated into two halves. He placed the first around my head with a smile. He was still smiling when he settles the second on Peeta's head.

Much bowing and cheering followed next. My arm was about to fall off from waving when Caesar Flickerman finally bid the audience good night, reminding them to tune in tomorrow for the final if they had a choice. Peeta and I were whisked to the president's mansion for the Victory Banquet, where we had very little time to eat as Capitol officials and particularly generous sponsors elbow one another out of the way as they tried to get their picture with us.

Face after beaming face flashed by, becoming increasingly intoxicated as the evening wore , I caught a glimpse of Cinna, which is reassuring, or Haymitch, which was somewhat comforting as well, as I kept laughing and thanking people and smiled as my picture was taken. The one thing I noticed was Peeta's arm never letting go of me; whether it was just our hands intertwined or his arm wrapped tightly around my waist, squeezing tighter whenever we caught a glimpse of President Snow. The sun was just peeking over the horizon when we straggled back to the twelfth floor of the Training Center. I thought then I could finally get to talk to Peeta alone, but Cinna told me we had to get something fitted for the interview, though I wanted to wait to talk to Peeta but he said we had to go get the outfit fitted if I wanted to get some sleep and be awake. After getting fitted he personally walked me to my room, seeming a little tense until we got to my door.

"Why can't I see to him?" I demanded.

"There'll be plenty of time to talk when we get home." Cinna said. "Go to bed, you're on air at two."

I sighed heavily before walking inside, peeling off my dress and putting on a light blue night gown, and crawling into bed. I tossed and turned for a few hours, sleep refusing to come and take me. But when it finally does, I wasn't welcomed with peaceful dreams but horrific memories of the Games. The blood, the murders, the deaths, and more blood; so much blood. I was awakened when Effie came in to alert me we had another "big, big, big day!" I had about five minutes to eat a bowl of hot grain and stew before the prep team descended. All they had to say after they were done was, "The crowd loved you!"

When Cinna came in, he shooed them out and dressed me in a white, gauzy dress and pink shoes. Then he personally adjusts my makeup until I seemed to radiate a soft, rosy made idle chitchat, but I could tell he was holding back; hiding something perhaps. The interview took place right down the hall in the sitting room. A space had been cleared and the love seat had been moved in and surrounded by vases of red and pink roses. There were only a handful of cameras to record the event; no live audience at least.

Caesar Flickerman gave me a warm hug when I came in. "Congratulations, Katniss. How are you faring?" Ceasar asked.

"Fine. Nervous about the interview." I said.

"Don't be. We're going to have a fabulous time." Ceasar said, giving my cheek a reassuring pat.

"I'm not good at talking about myself." I said.

"Nothing you say will be wrong." Ceasar reassured.

Just then Peeta came up. He looked handsome in red and white as he pulled me off to the side. "I hardly get to see you. Haymitch seems bent on keeping us apart." I said.

"Yes, he's gotten very responsible lately." Peeta said, a hint of anger in his voice.

"Well, there's just this and we go home. Then he can't watch us all the time." I said a smiling pulling at the corner of my lips. I felt a sort of shiver run through his body. Before I could say anything about it though, it was time for the interview.

We sat somewhat formally on the love seat. "Oh, go ahead and curl up next to him if you want. It looked very sweet." Caesar said.

Without hesitation, I tucked my feet up and Peeta pulled me close against him; his chin resting on top of my head

Someone from behind one of the cameras counted backward and just like that, we were being broadcast live to the entire country. Caesar Flickerman was wonderful, teasing, joking, getting choked up when the occasion presented itself. Caesar and I already easily talked as if we were old friends and Peeta just sat there smiling and nodding, talking every little always redirecting the conversation back to me.

Eventually though, Caesar began to pose questions that insist on fuller answers from Peeta and I. "Well, Katniss, we know, from our days in the cave, that it was love at first sight for you from what, age five?" Caesar said.

"From the moment I laid eyes on him." I said.

"But, Peeta, what a ride for you. I think the real excitement for the audience was watching you fall for her. When did you realize you were in love with her?" Caesar asked.

A saw a blush form on both mine and Peeta's face at the question. "Oh, that's a hard one . . ." Peeta stammered. Peeta gave a faint, breathy laugh and looked down at my me in my eyes.

"Well, I know when it hit me. The night when you shouted out her name from that tree." Caesar said.

"Yes, I guess that was it. I mean, until that point, I just tried not to think about what my feelings might have be, honestly, because it was so confusing and it only made things worse if I actually cared about her. But then, in the tree, everything changed." Peeta said, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Why do you think that was?" Caesar pressed.

"Maybe . . . because for the first time . . . there was a chance I could keep her, safe and sound." Peeta said.

"How did you feel when you found her by that river?" Caesar Flickerman asked Peeta.

"I felt like the happiest person in the world." Peeta said smiling as he stared right into my eyes. "I couldn't imagine life without her."

"And what about you, Katniss?" Ceasar asked me.

"He saved my life." I said staring right back into his eyes.

"We saved each other." Peeta said leaning down to kiss me.

Caesar pulled out a handkerchief and had to take a moment because he was so moved. I could feel Peeta pressed his forehead into my temples. "So now that you've got me, what are you going to do with me?" I asked, smirking.

Peeta turned so he could look down at me. "Put you somewhere you can't get hurt." Peeta whispered in my ear.

And when he kissed me again, people in the room actually sigh. For Caesar, that was a natural place to segue into all the ways we did get hurt in the arena, from burns, to stings, to wounds. But it wasn't until we got around to the mutts that I forget I was on camera.

"Katniss, the moment when you pulled out those berries. What was going on in your mind?" He asked.

Peeta took a long pause before he answered. "I don't know, I just . . . couldn't bear the thought of . . . being without her."

"Peeta? Anything to add?" Caesar asked.

"No. I think that goes for both of us." he said.

Caesar signed off and it was over. Everyone was laughing and crying and hugging, Peeta's arms still wrapped around me as we made our way over to Haymitch, Effie, Cinna, and Portia. All of uswent back to our rooms to collect a few things only to find there was nothing to take. They drove us through the streets in a car with blackened windows, and the train's that awaited for barely had time to say good-bye to Cinna and Portia, although we would be seeing them in a few months, when we toured the districts for the Victors Tour. It was the Capitol's way of reminding people that the Hunger Games never really go would be given a lot of useless plaques, and everyone would have to pretend that they love train began moving and we were plunged into night until we cleared the tunnel and I took my first free breath since the was accompanying us back and Haymitch, too, of course.

We ate an enormous dinner and settled into silence in front of the television to watch a replay of the interview. With the Capitol growing farther away by every passing second, I began to think of home; of my father, brothers, and even my mother.I excuse myself to change out of my dress and into a plain shirt and pants. As I slowly, thoroughly washed the makeup from my face trying to erase any evidence of Capitol-ness from my face and put my hair in its signature braid, I began to transform back into myself; Katniss Mellark, a girl who lives in town with a loving baker father, bakes deserts for people to poor to buy them. When the train made a brief stop for fuel, we were allowed to go outside for some fresh air.

Peeta and I walked down along the track, hand in hand, in awkward yet comfortable silence. I realized that in a matter of hours Gazle would come back into the picture but I didn't have to worry because I knew Peeta was mine. Then I realized Peeta seemed unusually tense.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing." Peeta said quickly.

We continued to walk, past the end of the train, still no words come. Haymitch seemed to startle Peeta when he laid a hand on his back. Even now, in the middle of nowhere, he kept his voice down. "Great job, you two. Just keep it up in the district until the cameras are gone. We should be okay." I watched him head back to the train, beyond confused.

"What's he mean?" I asked.

"It's the Capitol. They didn't like our stunt with the berries." Peeta said.

"What? What are you talking about?" I asked even more confused.

"It seemed too rebellious. So, Haymitch has been coaching me through the last few days. So I didn't make it worse." Peeta said carefully.

"Coaching you? But not me." I said.

"He knew you were smart enough to get it right." Peeta shrugged.

"I didn't know there was anything to get right." I said. "So, what you're saying is, these last few days and then I guess . . . back in the arena . . . that was just some strategy you two worked out."

"No. I mean, I couldn't even talk to him in the arena, could I?" Peeta stammered out.

"But you knew what he wanted you to do, didn't you?" I said, feeling my heart start to break. Peeta bite my lip before I dropped Peeta's hand feeling betrayed.

"It was all for the Games." I said more of a statement. "How you acted."

"Not all of it." Peeta said though his eyes gave him away.

"Then how much? No, forget that. I guess the real question is what's going to be left when we get home?" I said, letting my anger and hurt get the better of me.

"I don't know. The closer we get to District Twelve, the more confused I get." Peeta said.

I waited for further explanation, but none came from his mouth his wordless mouth. "Well, let me know when you work it out." I said not bothering to hide the pain I felt.

I pushed past Peeta, briskly walking back to the train. Once on board I went straight to my room, making sure it was locked before breaking down. He used me, he had used me to keep us alive, he had toyed with my emotions, making me believe that he really loved me when all he was doing was playing the Games and I was a fool to believe him. But I knew deep down I didn't blame Peeta, in fact I still loved him. I started to get frustrated with myself and before I could stop myself I had smashed a glass cup with my fist, effectively cutting it open so blood flowed freely from the wounds. Thankfully in the bathroom there was a first aid kit, where I was able to bandage up the wounds cutting off the flow of blood.

The next morning, I stayed in my room not wanting to face Peeta and I didn't even see him or anyone for that matter until the train pulls up in district twelve. I kept my face expressionless trying to keep everything inside until I was able to let it out alone. When I glanced at Peeta, he seemed like he wanted to say something but I knew what he was thinking. He probably thought that I was being unfair, that he did what he did to keep us alive in the arena. Though it maybe true it didn't erase the pain I felt. I knew what would happen when the cameras leave, Peeta would go with Gazle off to hunt in the woods like they did everyday and I would be left alone never to see him again but only for the cameras, of course.

We just stood there in silence as we watched our grimy little station rise up around us. Through the window I could see the platform thick with cameras. Everyone would be eagerly watching our homecoming. Then a last thought occurred to me as I reached for Peeta's hand. Peeta looked at me, eyes unsure.

"One more time, for the audience." I said, keeping all emotions out of my voice.

Peeta seemed to have a pain look but it quickly went away as he reached, not for my hand, but wrapped his arm around my waist, tightly. The usual joy of this small movement was gone and replaced by an alien feeling. I plaster on a big fake smile for the camera, and started to dread the moment when Peeta's arm would let me go.

_**END OF BOOK ONE**_


	4. AN

I am definitely going to continue the series. I'm already working on catching fire right now, and i would just like to say thank you to all of you who have given me reviews and read my stories. I really appreciate it and you guys are my motivators so you guys be proud of yourselves! XD


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